


Fearing the 1st

by Womble619



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-04-19 13:00:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 52
Words: 286,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4747361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Womble619/pseuds/Womble619
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zack awakens on a rain soaked battlefield to find his best friend dying in the mud, a sword he could not possibly wield laying close by. The planet had made a fatal error. Now with the help of AVALANCHE, a Turk, a fellow SOLDIER and a flower girl he has not seen in four years, Zack would tear his former employer to the ground. Though Shinra would become the least of his worries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1- A different legacy

**Author's Note:**

> Fearing the 1st
> 
> And.. here... we... go! My first fic!
> 
> Hi guys, Womble here, twenty-two year old guy from England and longterm die hard final fantasy fan :D. I have been dying to do my own fic for ages now, then one day I got replaying my 6th round of FF7 (with Tifa's bootleg graphics upgrade mod don't you know) and a random thought popped in my head. How exactly did Cloud do the impossible and lift Sephiroth off the floor by his own sword without mako enhancements? And surely if he could do that then it's not impossible that he could have been the one to battle the Shinra troops outside of Midgar instead of Zack? Wow… how would things have turned out if that had happened?
> 
> And so my idea for a fic was born!
> 
> The core concept is to explore how Zack would have handled the events of the FFVII timeline, how Cloud could have pulled of such a feat of strength and how if Zack had not been the one who died could have changed the game's outcome. (If at all- *Cue mysterious music*). This won't however be your basic 'Zack lives fic' and the longer you keep reading the more you will discover that far more is at play here and that not everything is as it seems. *Cue greater mysterious music*
> 
> Well I hope you enjoy and please review. I know some of you only like to review once you have read the entire thing, but I do enjoy reading reviews just as much on the older chapters as I do the new. So give a bro some warm fuzzy feels and drop me a line.
> 
> Rated M as later contains scenes of a mild but not too graphic sexual nature and mild to light violence. (Nothing a normal sixteen year old and up can't handle ;D)
> 
> I am naught but a lowly peasant and do not own or claim to own any FF7 material belonging to Square Enix.
> 
> On with the fic!

**Chapter 1 Part 1- A different legacy**

A dull bleary crack of thunder echoed its way into Zack's consciousness, followed by the faint patter of rain across the thin surface of his eyelids. The sensation caused them to flutter and slowly for the first time in what felt like sm eternity, he regained a feeble hold of control back over a small part of his being.

The action should have stirred hope within him, hope and joy that at long last the prison of nightmares that had caged his mind for…

_For how long?_

...was beginning to lift.

But he only felt a rising panic, the same strong terror that had seized him and wrenched his mind out from those murky depths.

_Green murky depths, swimming and bubbling before his vision, choking him, invading him._

Slowly a view of dark thunderous grey crept into his watery vision and it was then that Zack realised life did still exist beyond the stinging acidic green that had become his very existence. The rest of his body quickly responded to this revelation, feeling and sensation rushed back into his limbs coerced by the rushing sense of dread that had possessed him. He moved his head but a mere few inches to the side, it caused his brain to swim and scream in protest, but it was enough for his eyes to meet the thick river of lifeless brown mud laced with crimson.

_Blood?_

His vision levelled and focused, slower than what could even be considered unnaturally, probably because he could not remember the last time he had glanced beyond the blank swirl of liquid pain right before his nose. His glowing cerulean orbs focused on scattered figures that lay twisted and motionless in the dark, his mind quickly identifying the dark blue uniforms as those of Shrina SOLDIER and infantryman.

It was a scene similar to those from the Wutai War. Not that he ever saw the war himself, as to his disappointment at becoming a hero, it had ended by the time he had joined SOLDIER. However Shinra propaganda had made a point to have images like these shown to them as to stir hatred and apathy for the "enemy".

_Except it never rained in Wutai._

Amongst the soaked and unmoving figures lay a scattering of discarded blades, guns and bloodied fragments of armour and helmets.

His breath hitched.

_Breath!_

Slowly rising to his knees every inch of his body cried out with groggy pain but he disregarded it as his mind soaked in the death around him. Countless lifeless bodies submerged in the rising inches of mahogany sludge as heavy rain spat from the rumbling dark ominous heavens.

His eyes traced over them all. SOLDIERS. Men.

_… Boys._

The grim scene seemingly never-ending until his gaze reached the cliffs edge on the horizon where he caught a dirtied blaze of blond spikes.

A lump formed in his throat.

The constant thrum of rain became a distant unfeeling blur as time slowed and warped while his unsteady feet carried themselves across the void.

Drawing alongside his destination, his eyes fell upon a familiar face and his legs sank Zack to his knees. Glowing blue orbs locked with his, a glow that had not been there before but within them lay a dear friend.

"… Spike?"

"… h-hey.. Zack"

Zack grimaced as the pain in that voice attacked his heart. Cloud was spattered in the same mahogany that covered the floor, slowly fading crimson gently pouring from an innumerable number of cuts, slashes and bullet holes that cloaked his body.

Pulling it together Zack's mind frenzied as his head snapped in every direction, scrambling desperately for a plan of action.

"No Zack" Cloud breathed, reading his actions. "You can't run me to the infirmary this time".

His words brought back the memories of the times he had watched his young friend in weapons and combat training. He had been wracked with nerves watching the 16-year-old boy, smaller than all the rest, sparring with the other SOLDIER wannabe cadets.

Cloud had, like most of his training, completely miss timed blocking a simple swing and had taken a hefty wooden sword to the side of the face. With a small yelp of surprise more so than pain, Cloud was sent tumbling face first to the ground. Zack watching from the balcony above misread the yelp and had hurled himself off the thirty foot drop, thrown two other cadets out the way (accidentally spraining ones wrist and the others ankle) and with Mako enhanced speed and strength hoisted cloud overhead and crashed down the busy hallways of the Shinra barracks like a crazed Elfadunk

"get ou'tha way! MOVE!"

"Zack put me down i'm not even..."

"It's alright spikey I got you buddy, just stay with me, nurse! NURSE!"

"Zack… this is the third time this week…"

Cloud weakly smiled and Zack released a small sorrowful laugh as two tears raced one another down his cheeks.

Cloud's head lolled back and his eyes began to roll and Zack quickly grabbed the back of his head.

"Hey! HEY! You get back here buddy!" Zack whimpered, "I'm the one who makes the wise cracks around here, don't go thinking you're getting the last laugh in pal" his voice was fractured, unable to maintain his usually optimistic and cheery tone.

"Let me have this one" Cloud heaved as his eyes began to wilt deeper.

Grabbing both sides of Clouds pale face he jolted him too once more.

"No chance! I haven't found another friend to make chocobo jokes at yet and I've still got to teach you how t.."

Zack paused, finally noticing from the corner of his vision, the Buster sword laying bloodied and blunted in the mud.

".. my sword.. how?"

Looking around at the field of lifeless bodies, the sword, Cloud, realisation dawned on what had to have occurred here but it left Zack no less confused. This was Cloud, the small boy from Nibelheim who had failed graduating into SOLDIER, Cloud who had struggled to even lift the standard issue three-foot narrow Shinra blade or execute a simple block and thrust manoeuvre in training.

Not that he ever doubted Cloud or ever saw him as any less a person for it, in fact it was the opposite. Zack admired Cloud, admired his relentless determination, related to his dreams, respected his honour, even looked to him for guidance at times.

_A brother._

"Yeah sorry about your sword, I..."

Zack could hear every word from Clouds mouth was causing inhumane amounts of pain and if it was even possible for Zack's heart to sink even lower at that point it did.

"Shhhh don't sweat it buddy, you're a little more important than my sword."

"But just a little" they said in unison, sharing a small smile of recognition for an old tale.

Cloud winced in pain and his head dropped back once more. This time Zack stopped himself from grabbing him back, knowing with the pain Cloud was in it was not fair to do.

_Damn it! Nothing was ever fair! If it were he would be the one laying there!_ Zack grit his teeth

Coming back too with one last effort. Clouds eyes fixed absently on the grey abyss above.

"Ti.. Ti."

"What is it spike? come on pal tell me" Zack's voice shook with desperation.

"Tifa..", jagged breathing shuddered

"Tell Tifa that I.. let her know that.." Clouds voice had become so faint that Zack had pressed his forehead to Clouds, enhanced hearing clawing for every word.

Zack knew about Tifa. Hell how could he forget!? He had spent countless joyful hours teasing Cloud about his 'imaginary girlfriend' back home in the mountains. Zack knew not a day had gone by Cloud did not think about his childhood sweetheart and he knew it had been the reason Cloud had never so much as looked at another woman despite his, at times, mischievous efforts.

And though Cloud had never said it, he also knew that every day since Cloud was a small boy he had wished himself the courage to tell this girl how he felt. Zack in his frustration at not being able to instil the courage in Cloud to take the plunge had nearly picked up the phone and told her himself on a couple of occasions. He likely would have if a profusely sweating and thoroughly panicking Cloud had not clawed him off the speaker each time.

Now here in his last moments laying muddied and broken on a dark rain-soaked battlefield, Zack saw it in his face. A heart breaking regret that he couldn't finally tell her. Fear that she would never know and it made him wish more than anything that he could swap places with his dearest friend so he could give him that time.

_Nothing was ever fair!_

"I'll tell her, Cloud I promise buddy I'll tell her. Sh-sh-she'll know man."

Rain mixed tears were steadily flowing down Zacks face now.

At his words and with a small nod Cloud's expression of desperate regret softened into a gentle and bright smile…

… and that's how it stayed as he finally stilled.

Zack let out a soul splintering cry of anguish across the muddy barren wastes and in the nearby Shinra capital a flower girl feels her heart despair.

* * *

**Chapter 1 Part 2- A different legacy**

If it hadn't been for the Mako coursing through his veins, Zack knew he would have died out in those wastes. He had already been starving and dehydrated before he set off on the two-day trek and since 'that night' the rains had passed and a blistering heat had nearly run him into the ground. On top of that he'd had to battle the onslaught of creatures that roamed the lifeless expanse. Creatures that were extra aggressive and slightly enhanced from the residual Mako that spilled out from Midgar city. Needless to say even his ability to endure five times longer than the normal man without substance or rest was worn thin.

He had welcomed the suffering as it had kept his mind from focusing too much on 'that night'. The guilt and despair he felt was unbearable and far more likely to be the monster that consumed him then the ones patrolling the dead lands. He had been weak, sleeping comatose while his friend carried his useless body halfway around the world and still found the strength to battle a small army single-handedly.

Too weak to even give Cloud, his own saviour, a proper burial.

Too weak to even dig him the decency of a grave.

_You left his body lying there on the cliffs for the animals or worse, for the Shinra parasites to take to poke and probe with more tests_ _._

The thought made him feel sick, bile rising up in his throat.

_I'm so sorry I failed you Spike, just like I failed Angeal, sleeping on the job... and I call myself first class. I should be the one dead on those cliffs damn it! that ambush was for me not you!_

That battalion Cloud had been mercilessly murdered by had been intended for him. A rogue first class on the loose was something Shinra feared, he had contacts, skills and enough dirty little secrets of theirs that he could cause them some serious pain. Oh and he planned to.

_I'm going to make them suffer for what they've done!_

They feared a rogue first, not like a rogue cadet with a record of less than impressive skills and a failed entry into SOLDIER, they wouldn't even waste a thought on someone like that let alone the resources hunting him. His fairly security light passage into Midgar confirmed this, they had to have believed he was the one they had executed up on those cliff and that the cadet had been the one who escaped. With the number slain by a giant broadsword that would inevitably be matched as his, who could blame them?

For now it was a blessing but Zack knew it wouldn't be long before they sent more units to retrieve the body for a DNA confirmed ID and then they would realise he was still alive. How long did he have before his status changed from ghost back to fugitive? A few more days was optimistic.

Laid staring up at the ceiling of a far from glamorous room in the sector six Wall Market inn, Zack carefully plotted his next move. Gil gathered from the creatures and bandits that he encountered in the wastes had funded his two days of recovery though after new clothes, the room, nourishment, a lightning one materia and equipment to re-sharpen the buster sword, he was running low on resources again.

It was here in these quiet stretches of silence his mind haunted him and images flashed through his mind in painful confusing sequences.

_A town ablaze. The screams of men, women and children shrill in the burning air._

_Cloud ascending the iron steps of the Nibelheim reactor._

_The bubbling, choking acid green that would remain his eternity._

_Cloud's concerned face staring down at him in the back of a moving truck._

_Cloud walking away into glaring rays of sunlight with the buster sword firmly on his back._

Among the swirl of memories some stranger images appeared he could not place, ones that caused his head to sear.

_The female mountain guide from Nibelheim who Zack knew to be Tifa right in front of him, except even younger and in a blue dress sat on a water tower gazing at the stars._

_A woman he had never met with bright blonde hair telling him how much he had grown and how much she wished he would find a 'nice older girlfriend' to take care of him._

_His eyes tracking down the length of a bright steel blade, starting from his oozing left shoulder and ending with the cat green eyes of him! The nightmare! The monster he once called friend! Glowing blue orbs widening in panic Zack jolted. The former general's menacing stare contorted into a dark smirk as a lock of silver hair cascaded across one eye. "Hey Zack, it's good to see you again"._

Sephiroth's voice caused his mind to erupt in agony as a high-pitched shriek of white noise surged through his head. Pain so sharp his entire body quaked as he cried out and collapsed writhing onto the scuff stained laminate of the inn floor.

His howls ceased as the door of the room he was staying in receiving a string of vicious bangs cut through the pain and brought him back to reality.

"WHAT IN THA' FUCK IS GOIN' ON IN THERE?!"

Sweating and gasping for air Zack steadied himself and after taking time to compose himself, donned his best neutral tone.

"N-n-nothing! Nothing, just some crazy stuff on the telly, I'll errr.. turn it down"

"Telly…? These rooms don't have televisions!" the rough voice of the inn keeper bellowed.

"Well for how much you're charging me don't you damn well think there should be?" Zack retorted, the haunting images pushed to one side for now.

"Hey listen here pal! I don't want no strange shit goin' on ya' hear me?" the innkeepers temper was beginning to rise.

"Dont you think you should've thought about that before you set up an inn in the middle of a red-light district" Zack yelled right back.

There was a silent pause on the other side of the door.

"You've only paid until midday today Smith, so just make sure your gone by then you li'l punk!" the flustered man stormed off down the corridor.

He sighed.

_… looks like I have no excuse to delay seeing her anymore._

Zack had been wracked with nerves for the last two days while being in Midgar about this moment. Despite it being the moment that Zack had dreamed about every single day for the last four years.

_Four years…_

He had despaired after discovering from a discarded Shinra newspaper that today's date was four years since last he truly remembered. Since...

_Aerith. Beautiful Aerith. Would she even remember him? had she moved on? of course she has you idiot!_

The moment he stepped foot in Midgar he wanted nothing more in this world then to seek Aerith out right then and there. Logic finally took over and told him that arriving out of the blue after four years, close to deaths door and covered from head to toe in dirt, blood and sweat would not make for a great reunion.

Now the longer he had left it the more his anxiety had grown as questions of whether she would remember him or even want to see him cruelly manifested. Worse than all of these doubts was whether he SHOULD go and see her. Even if she did remember him, in a few days from now he was going to be back on Shinra's number one most wanted list and he would be putting Aerith in danger. But considering life without those beautiful big emerald eyes, long soft chestnut curls, glowing delicate skin and a heart that radiated the very meaning of warmth and kindness was too hard to bare.

Mind made up he inspected his appearance in the body length mirror hanging on the wall.

_Perhaps I should get her some flowers? turning up empty-handed will be pretty lame, hmm where can I get flowers around here?_

He grinned, beneath the plate that blocked out the sun there was only one place you could get flowers in Midgar that didn't look like weeds. His heart warmed at the thought of Aerith's small graceful frame crouched cheerily down amongst the flower bed that bloomed in the sector seven abandoned church.

Overwhelmed with the need to mend his broken soul and witness that scene he so dearly cherished once more he took a deep breath, placed the buster sword on his back and marched out of the room.

"Oi Smith! Don't be lettin' me catch anythin' wrong with that room or I'll be mailing tha' bill straight to ya' address!"

Zack lazily waved the back of his hand at the man as he exited the building, snorting a secret laugh as he heard the innkeeper ask his bored teenage son on reception with him whether he had ever heard of...

"An apartment block in sector two called sixty-nine Lykesiten Erbum? Wait a sec.. HEY YOU GET BACK HERE!"

Zack had already dashed out the door and into the busy crowds of wall market and was gone.


	2. Turk deduction

**Chapter 2 Part 1- Turk deduction**

His expressionless facade marginally cracked as a dry smile of humor flickered across his face. A luxurious office in the heart of the Shinra building was increasingly being replaced by a deserted and deteriorating children's playground in the squalid sector 6 slums as his main base of operations.

Tseng was waiting for the arrival of three of his operatives from the field, it had been five days since the assignment went live and things had rapidly gone south. They had failed to deliver the target and now the situation was being closely tracked for confirmation that Zack Fair was in fact deceased.

_A failed mission, what would Veld have made of that?_

Updates on the mission had to be conducted far from Shinra ears as the Turks could not risk being caught with having any involvement with the Fair situation. Even his own office was no longer safe, and so here he found himself convening most days in the slums.

It was imperative they were not caught because president Shinra had not put the Turks on this particular case, opting for a more 'forceful' approach to the matter. This was ever increasingly becoming the old dictators tendency with things. His declining use of the Turks and arrogant belief that their loyalty could still be kept at a smaller price had made room for a new bidder.

Under Tsengs leadership they were now secretly working for someone who was looking to spite and sabotage the president from the shadows. To keep the president believing he controlled the Turks but have them filter back and manipulate all of the presidents on-goings.

This new employer just so happened to be vice president Rufus Shinra, son of the president and heir to Shinra corporation. The Zack Fair mission had been just another one of Rufus' plans to strike out against his father.

One of his Turks Cissnei had infiltrated communications about 'dangerous fugitive' Zack Fair escaping a classified Shinra facility along with some cadet. The fate of the cadet had been announced immaterial, but Fair was to be killed on site immediately.

Cissnei had been in a frenzy when she delivered the news to Tseng, although he had never ordered it she had spent the last four years in her personal time trying to track their location. Chasing rumors and shadows that always led to dead ends.

Finally when they resurfaced she had been first to catch wind and Tseng took it to Rufus Shinra. That's when the Vice President ordered them to capture Fair alive and deliver him to one of Rufus' manors unbeknownst to his father west of the upper plate. Why? What did Rufus plan to do with Fair? The Turks didn't ask questions.

He had placed Reno and Rude on the case and ordered Cissnei to stand down, for some unknown reason the Fair case seemed personal to her.

"With the Turks you cannot afford for things to be personal" he had said to her, shaking a certain flower girl out of his head.

Cissnei had hijacked a chopper regardless and gone out searching for Fair, an action he was still yet to reprimand her for. As if on cue the small red headed female Turk arrived looking deep in thought.

"Report" Tseng ordered casually

"Good to see you too Tseng. With the number of confirmed casualties and after stealing copies of the radio reports issued during the incident it would seem the now deceased assailant was indeed Zack Fair" Cissnei's face was mix of sadness and confusion.

"It would seem?" Tseng questioned raising an eyebrow at the young Turk

"Well.. its just that.. although the description of the assailant in the reports closely matches Zack Fair there was something not quite right".

"Go on" Tseng coolly pressed as Cissnei hesitated

"The combat skills required to dispatch the Shinra personnel would indicate the work of a 1st class SOLDIER and descriptions of the weapon used would point to Zack Fair. But they describe the assailant as having blond spiky hair, Zack's hair was spiky but black" she looked up at him with a hopeful stare.

"It's very easy and not uncommon for a fugitive on the run to dye their hair Cissnei" Tseng replied shaking his head at the inconsequential detail.

"I know I just" she sighed deeply discontinuing her line of speech

"Any news on the second fugitive?" Tseng inquired

"With no one searching and no details issued on him the trail's gone cold" Cissnei responded dejectedly

"Well ain't this just a beautiful sight" Tseng and Cissnei turned to see Reno lazily strutting towards them, Rude following close behind.

"A family reunion yo, seems like these days this lil groupa black sheep never get together no more, no offense yo" Reno directed that last part at his partner Rude with a sly grin, Rude grunted in response.

"Hey Cissy hows my lil admirer doin" Reno threw a heavy arm around Cissnei and leaned on her with a wink.

"Don't make me zap you with your own rod again Reno" Cissnei warned lifting his heavy arm off of her.

"See tha fellas? I'm only here 10 seconds and she's already talking bout ma rod" Reno laughed.

Tseng raised a disapproving eyebrow and Rude shook his head with a sigh pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Report" Tseng announced the same way he had done to Cissnei earlier.

"Woah Rude my man slow it down, let me do the talking for once yo" Reno chuckled sarcastically, "so we tracked down where they took the stiff to be tested boss, wasn't too hard to guess they'd be bringing him to the lab monkeys up there" Reno thumbed at the plate above indicating the Shinra building.

"Dem science squares still ain't confirmed the ID yet, they say they found mako enhancements in the guy which screws up standard testing or some crap"

"Which further supports the premise that the dead target is indeed Zack Fair, the Cadet Strife had no records of undergoing Mako treatment" Tseng voiced thoughtfully.

"He could have received them during his time at this 'classified Shinra facility' they were being held at?" Cissnei interjected.

"Hmmm its possible, but simply injecting one with mako does not teach them to become an elite fighter capable of single handedly bringing down an entire squad" Tseng returned.

Becoming frustrated with Tseng's continuous retorts to support that Zack must in fact be dead and corroborating her failure, Cissnei turned to Reno and Rude.

"Is that all you guys got?"

In exaggerated mock offense Reno replied "Is tha all we got she says! ya know that information right there was hardly plastered on a billboard outside the Shinra building sweetheart"

Rude finally speaking his first words supplied "We also got word that Professor Hojo is heading back to Midgar and expressed interest in examining the subject"

"Oh yeah thats right yo, professor creepy is making his way over and is pretty pissed about some specimens of his going missing. I don't think that's just a coincidence ya know boss" Reno aimed at Tseng who nodded in agreement.

"If Hojo is involved then mako is definitely involved, maybe the cadet Strife was trialed with a superior strain of mako that allowed him to take out the Shinra personnel?" remarked Cissnei, a small shiver running down her spine at the thought of that deranged scientist.

"Nah sounds stupid to me Cissy, I read that kids profile, he was about as useless as Rude here in a motivational speech rally" Rude grunted again at his partner's remark. "You'd have about as much luck convincing me he'd killed Sephiroth".

The legendary general had disappeared off the face of the planet four years prior. A crippling loss to Shinra, Reno and the rest of the Turks had been commissioned for the first two years with searching under every rock in Gaia for him.

"Lets not rule anything out until we have more answers, Reno, Rude, I want you two to keep a close look out for those DNA results. Cissnei I want you to close in on this new lead on professor Hojo, find out where he's been, what he's been doing and what his interests are on the subject".

"Yes sir"

"I'm on it Tseng"

"Hey I got this yo"

Tseng nodded "Dismissed"

"Thank christ for tha! lets get a drink yo" Reno turned from Rude to Cissnei "Hey Ciss get ya sweet behind over here, ya idol Reno here gonna show ya how to drink"

"Reno the last time you showed me how to drink you started three bar fights, asked both me and Rude to marry you and passed out" Cissnei chuckled

"Which I am still waiting for a response on yo! Don't let us red heads down Cissy, if you do i'll hunt you and you know I bite" Reno flashed a shark like grin

"I love you too Reno" she quipped "Ok I'll catch you guys down there, first I gotta make a stop at wall market"

She'd punched Reno in the arm as he suggestively wiggled his eyebrows at the mention of the famous red-light district and then headed off with a nod to Tseng and Rude.

Also taking their leave Reno and Rude moved out, Reno complaining to his partner as they left.

"Why the hell we always gotta meet up at this dump? plenty of other places ain't no one would hear us and they wouldn't smell like sh"

Fading out of earshot Tseng considered Reno's question.

Despite the less than appealing surroundings it had always proved quite a convenient location here. Deserted enough for discretion and close enough so that he was only one sector away from the home and the abandoned church where Aerith Gainsborough could always be found.

He had kept tabs on the ancient from a very young age, believing himself hidden and watching from the shadows he was always startled when Aerith would shout a cheerful hello and run over to him smiling. Eventually he just stopped bothering to even hide and despite his best efforts he had become fond of the innocent flower girl over the years. She would talk to him for hours, even ask him how his day was going.

_No one had ever really expressed interest in his well being before_

After Zack Fair disappeared he had witnessed her grief, never being good at giving comfort he lamely offered that if he ever crossed paths with Zack he would pass him on a message from her. Eyes brimmed with tears she had thrown her arms around him and thanked him countless times in a tight embrace, the action had made his heart leap hoops. Ever since then she handed him letter after letter addressed for Zack Fair, 88 letters was the latest count to date.

When it emerged that Zack had resurfaced he had made it a priority to visit her most days in case Fair made an appearance. If he said he disliked the duty he would by lying.

He had already paid her a visit today and so made his way back to his office in the Shinra building to continue his deceitful disguise as a loyal employee of the president until his next debriefing with the vice president.

* * *

**Chapter 2 part 2- Turk deduction**

From an outsiders point of view the spectacle would have have seemed nothing short of hilarious. A basement of fully armed dangerous thugs made anxious and intimidated by a young petite female who barely stood above 5 foot.

Cissnei stood in the center of the room completely at ease.

"I told you Ivan, you give me nothing and I will have ever so hard a time keeping your little secrets to myself".

Ivan gulped with apprehension, sweat trickling down his face and visibly shaken by the small girl. Ivan was a giant of a man and not your gentle giant type either, he was a street hardened mob boss who would gladly crush a man's head with his bare hands if he believed you gave him a wrong look.

Not that it phased Cissnei in the slightest, Ivan was just another thread of her extensive web of contacts. Resourcefulness had always been one of Cissnei's greatest strengths, growing up as an orphan she learned that you could control someone if they either felt they owed you or you held something over them.

In Ivan's case it was both, him and his gang smuggled black market pharmaceuticals throughout Midgar such as pills, morphine and gas all backed up with fake prescription certificates. Anything that could provide a high but not get you arrested if caught in possession. Which in Midgar where search warrants didn't exist and random house raids were not uncommon was becoming a must.

However Ivan had messed up big time after Cissnei was charged with investigating a batch of mako shots that had been stolen from Shinra. She had tracked them back to Ivan who was selling them to wealthy individuals looking to get enhanced. Rather than turning him in and having another goon take his place, she decided he would prove much more valuable as an informant. They turned in the shots and one of the lower level dealers in Ivan's place, a successful mission, an extra contact.

"Like I told ya Ciss its been real quiet I swear, ain't nothing been going on lately" the man stammered

"I've got a place to be drinking Ivan, don't waste my time" Cissnei yawned "now it can either be me or it can be you, but one of us is going to be sharing some information today. Take your pick".

"Ok! ok! errr… well.. there's rumors that the honey bee inn will be closing soon?"

Cissnei turned and headed for the door "I'll visit you in prison Ive"

"Wait!" the man jumped off of the empty beer barrel he had been sitting on against the far wall. "there's more to it... WAIT!"

Cissnei paused, a hidden smile across her face

"The rumors are probably true, Don Corneo has been secretly packing up a lot of his operations and moving out of Midgar".

Don Corneo was what you might call king villain of sector 6, nothing underhand here went on without first going through him and so that included Ivan's movements in wall market.

Interest peaked Cissnei asked "Why?"

"Oh no no no! fuck! if I tell you and the boss finds out I am as good as dead" Ivan was pale with fright

In one swift motion Cissnei flicked her large four point Shuriken Rekka from behind her back into her grasp causing the blades metal to sing. The entire room immediately tensed, some raised guns, knives and chains, others ducked out of sight.

"Ivan, I want you to think very carefully before you terminate our little arrangement" although Cissnei's voice was light and sweet the deadly warning behind it was clear.

Sighing and raising his hand for his thugs to ease off, Ivan spilled "The only reason the authorities allow Don Corneo to get away with things is because of the 'security deposit' he pays president Shinra. All the Mafia organizations from each sector do the same. Thing is president Shinra has been bumping the price up so damn much for the last few years that not even the Don can meet his demands no more".

When he didn't continue Cissnei flashed her hazel eyes at him in warning, "if you make me ask why one more time Ivan.."

"Ok ok god damn it. You really can't figure out why the presidents bumping prices? look out of your fucking window at what surrounds this place. Dead wastes that were once green stretching for miles in every direction, Shinra's been sucking mako out the ground for so long the pipes keep needing to get longer as they need to keep going further out just to get piss all mako. What started as cheap energy ain't so cheap no more. Shit its probably just as expensive now as the old days when things ran on electricity. I wouldn't be surprised if even the president was planning to pack up and leave. That's all I got Ciss I swear to you".

"There we go, we got there eventually. Thank you Ivan"

Satisfied the man could provide no more Cissnei turned and left, digesting the information. What Ivan had said seemed logical, tomorrow she would report it to Tseng. If things were getting so bad that the president was even having to squeeze the mobs for cash then Shinra was desperate. Dwindling resources of mako would only mean one thing, they needed to find more and that put a certain flower girl at risk. Shinra believe that being the last remaining Cetra, an ancient race from 2,000 years ago, that Aerith could lead them to the 'promised land', a land of unlimited mako energy. Until now the Turks had only been ordered to keep tabs on the girl, a duty that Tseng took on himself. With this new information from Ivan and knowledge that a certain deranged scientist was soon to be back in town, Cissnei had a feeling it might not be long before they got orders to bring the girl in.

Stepping back out into Wall Market Cissnei's final stop before she would meet a probably already intoxicated Reno and chattier than normal Rude was the weapons store North. She found the in store clipper blade machinery always did a better job at sharpening Rekka then the field kits she often used ever could.

Upon making her way there her attention was suddenly drawn to a furious shout of "HEY YOU GET BACK HERE!" from the nearby inn.

Turning, her eyes widened in dumb shock as she saw none other than Zack Fair himself dashing through the crowd and out of site.


	3. Intimate assurances

**Chapter 3 Part 1- Intimate assurances**

Hands pressed firmly against the warm moist soil full of life, Aerith swayed gently with eyes closed, feeling the soft calming melody of the planet wash over her. This was the only place she heard this calm from the planet and it filled her with hope and promise. Connecting herself to the planet anywhere else always filled her with so much fear and heartache that she would tremble fiercely. The planet would cry out in agony, slowly dying with every second that the lifestream was pillaged by Shinra's monstrous reactors for cheap mako energy.

But here among the flower bed that bloomed in the abandoned church in sector 5 she felt peace. Opening her emerald green orbs she gently smiled at the delicate flowers that blossomed brighter than they had before she arrived. It was then that she caught a figure standing in the doorway from the corner of her vision.

Turning to see the stranger she thought it might be Tseng returning back again, he certainly had been visiting a lot more than usual of late. Not that she disliked it, she had actually come to view him as a friend. Not to say she was ignorant about his real intentions for keeping an eye on her, but he had been one of the few constants in her life.

The sight of tall black spikes, glowing blue orbs and a young strong face she had dreamt about for the last four years stared at her.

_Zack_

She paused staring at him and he stared back, a nervous smile spread across his face. Aerith stared back down at the bed of flowers, her heart flooding with sorrow. She was not going to do this to herself again! she had been tormented for years with visions of Zack, seeing him standing in doorways, waving at her from across the street, a flash of jet black spikes in the crowd. Every time she had cried out his name and felt her heart leap for joy just to be crushed when he wasn't really their. Her adoptive mother Elmyra had made her promise she would not keep doing this to herself and so she stared away from the spectre at the door biting back tears.

The sound of a tentative footstep reached her ears, trying to trick her further into believe he was really their.

"Please.. Please I can't" she whimpered meekly

"Aerith?"

_He spoke!_

Upon hearing his voice Aerith's head whipped up to see the handsome face of Zack still staring longingly at her.

"Zack? Zack is that really you" she squeaked, tears forming in her bright emerald eyes.

"In the flesh" although the confident tone from him seemed forced her expression changed into a teary smile, confidence is what she had always loved about Zack.

Her heart dissolved with elation, running she threw herself into his arms embracing him tightly, breath quivering with uncontrolled emotion. He returned her embrace with equal ferocity and for for an indeterminable amount of time their entwined bodies were the only things that existed.

Continuing to hold him close she stared up into his eyes questioningly, searching desperately for answers. What she saw there made her heart burst with compassion, although his endearing gaze was filled with genuine joy, behind them she could see an aching sadness and so much pain.

Forgetting all other lines of questioning.

"Oh Zack….. Zack what is it?" tenderly she placed her hand against his cheek and moved his now downcast eyes back to hers.

With a shaky sigh he spoke "Aerith, I've got some explaining to do".

* * *

**Chapter 3 Part 2- Intimate assurances**

They had sat for the last few hours on one of the pews of the church soaking in one another's presence. They were so close that she practically sat in his lap, it had felt so natural it was like four years had not passed between them. By the time Zack had finished his story Aerith felt emotionally exhausted.

Relief that the reason he had left was not because he had lost interest in her as she had tormented herself with for years.

Empathy as he desperately tried to piece shattered memories he was still clearly battling to make sense of.

More hatred towards Shinra for the abhorrent things they had done to him and his friend who Aerith knew Zack had been dearly fond of. When he told her about Cloud he had began to shake and the roiling guilt in him was clear to see.

"I am so sorry about your friend Zack" She pressed her forehead lightly to his, he breathed her in. "What happened was not your fault, its that company, all they do is kill and destroy".

"I should have been stronger, I should have hel.."

Cutting him off "No Zack, no one should ever be expected to fight like that just to be free. Your friend Cloud sounds like he was a really special guy, he wouldn't want you feeling like this".

"Yeah, yeah he was. You're right...and I am gonna make sure Shinra pay"

The vengeful tone sounded so foreign from a person as kind as him but she could relate to his feelings. Shinra had committed too many evils, were still committing too many evils and they had to answer for them.

"Thats why I am going to have to go away for a while, I can't get you mixed up in this" Zack continued.

She burst into quiet giggles making Zack stare up in surprise.

"I am glad to see after four years Zack you're just as daft as ever"

"Huh? I didnt say anything.."

Aerith placed her hands on her hips and interrupted him again with a stern voice.

"Zack Fair if you think for one moment that showing up after four years I am ever letting you out of my sights again then I have news for you mister"

Aerith felt her heart warm as Zack's eyes lit up at her words, a relief seemed to wash over him as if the entire time he had been fearing the moment they would once again be separated.

"But what if you get hurt? what if you get put in danger?"

"Then I guess you had better do your job well" She replied with a grin

"My job?"

"Remember you tried to repay me once for helping you after you fell through the church roof with a date?"

He nodded

"Well I want to do the same, I am hiring you as my bodyguard Zack Fair for the price of one date"

He replied by stepping up to her and placing a gentle caressing hand to her face. The heat of his body and the intense affection behind the action made her blush and her senses tingle. Her natural reaction was to place a hand on his strong chest and gaze into his beautiful glowing blue eyes. It only served to force more heat to her cheeks and in a deep enticing tone that drew her in he replied.

"Deal".

* * *

**Chapter 3 Part 3- Intimate assurances**

No matter whether his injuries were a broken body from falling hundreds of feet through a church roof or from a broken soul, Aerith's abilities to heal mesmerised Zack. He had only been with her half a day and already he could feel himself returning to his old self again.

They had walked back through the slums together laughing and chatting the entire way. Old vigour renewed Zack bounced around with his typical energetic hyper-activity which always brought a smile to Aerith's face, blabbering about anything and everything that came to mind. Such a happy site was so foreign and out of place in an area like the slums that they drew their fair share of puzzled onlookers. At one point he had taken her hand in his, when he saw small tears trickle down her cheeks he had tried to let go only to find her grasp unrelenting.

"Its nothing, its just that one minute I'm alone, never thinking I will see you again. Next you're right beside me holding my hand, I'm just so happy right now Zack"

Her words had struck such a profound chord within him that he only just about managed not to release some tears of his own.

They made their way back to Aerith's home and Zack had endured a rather uncomfortable grilling from Mrs Elmyra Gainsborough. After telling a less painful version of events, assuring her how much Aerith meant to him and a bucket load of his natural charm. Mrs Gainsborough immediately warmed to Zack, embracing him with apology and cooking them all the biggest meal he had ever eaten.

A steady flow of childhood stories and pictures of Aerith had made the evening pass in high spirits, Zack laughing loudly while an embarrassed Aerith hid behind her chestnut curls.

With ammunition fully stocked to tease Aerith with for next century Zack made to excuse himself for the evening, not wanting to overstay his welcome. Really he didn't want the night to ever end, the evening had been the happiest he had been in memory. A smile had not left Aerith's face all evening and neither had the sparkle in her eyes that frequently locked with his throughout the night.

"Thanks for having me Mrs Gainsborough, ya know if SOLDIER had rankings for their chefs I know you would make first class"

Elmyra chuckled "well I'll take that as a compliment Zack, please call me Emyra and you won't be going anywhere at this time of the night"

"I dont want to intrude Mrs Gains… Elmyra"

"Zack your family, there will always be a room here for you"

Aerith let out a short squeal of delight and ran over to hug her adoptive mother before grabbing his hand and heading for the stairs to show him to the spare room. Zack remained rooted on the spot, Elmyra's words had taken him aback.

_Family_

"You ok Zack?" Aerith questioned

He felt a wide grin spread across his face "Yeah, I'm perfect actually, its just I haven't really had a family in a long time. Well apart from the kind that'll put insects in your bunk and whip you naked in the showers"

Elmyra burst out laughing "well there will be no naked whipping in the shower here"

Zack turned and playfully flashed a disappointed pout at Aerith.

"Zack!" she mouthed letting out a silent gasp followed by a quiet giggle as her cheeks turned a shade of reddish pink.

Bidding Elmya goodnight they went upstairs and Aerith showed him to the spare room. It was cosy, a single bed that he could already tell was going to provide him the best nights sleep he'd had in years.

Alone together in the room their eyes locked once more before and Aerith began circling around him staring intently, "You know, you've grown taller since I last saw you", Zack resisted the urge to straighten out his clothing and fidget.

_And you've grown... fuller_

He quickly shook that thought from his head and quickly moved to the first appropriate thing that came to mind.

"So how's the flower business going?"

Aerith lit up, "oh it's wonderful! people are still so amazed when they see them... its just a shame not everyone can afford them"

"You've not been giving them away for free again have you", Zack smiled, he already knew the answer.

"Well not all of them" she said linking her hands behind her back and tilting her face cutely to one side.

"Aerith, like I said, if you wanna make a business work you gotta be tough, you want me to chase those freeloaders down for you?"

Making his hand into a fist he motioned a punch, connecting it with the palm of his other hand.

Aerith chuckled lightly pressing a finger to his arm "oh Zack I don't do it all for money, sometimes it's just nice to see people happy again"

The notion made him scratch the back of his head.

"Hmmm.. I guess. Well at least you took my advice and got that cart, I s'pose you could afford letting a few freebies go if you're selling in quantity. Bulk quantity, thats the key!"

There was the sweet tuneful laugh again, he could listen to all it all day. Though what she was laughing at was beyond him, he was being serious.

"Actually the cart is still the same as we left it"

"You mean it still isn't fixed?!"

Aerith's delicate brown curls bounced playfully around as she nodded, hands clasped behind her back she leaned towards him.

"I figured once you came back we could work on it together again, I didn't want to do it without you"

If ever Zack had heard a sentence spoken that was more precious to him than the one Aerith just spoke, he could not at this moment remember it. Aerith's hands shifted from behind her back and linked anxiously against her chest in front of her as she took a closer step towards him.

"You're still gonna be here when I wake up aren't you Zack?" Aerith was looking up at him with apprehension

"Well..." Zack stalked towards her with exaggerated swagger and charm, "there's only one way to make sure" he quipped inclining his head towards the single bed suggestively

Aerith chuckled sweetly "Oh you"

As she made to slap his shoulder he dipped under her arm, stealing her into his arms and into the air with a laugh as she let out a shriek of delight.

Staring up at her in his arms he wondered how it was even possible that she had become even more beautiful than before.

"I will still be here, I will always be here Aerith, I promise" unconsciously he held her close, one hand around her waist as the other tracked lightly up curve of her back making her shudder with sensation.

The world dissolved around him as he drowned in a pair of deep emerald orbs that acted as magnets, drawing him in, inviting him. They drew closer to him and he to them and the only sound besides the erratic beating of two hearts was Aerith's husky and slightly breathless voice.

"Zack I.."

The opening bedroom door accompanied by Elmyra's voice broke the scene instantly as they quickly broke apart.

"Here are some fresh sheets straight from the dryer, you can find a spare toothbrush in the bathroom cabinet Zack. Please help yourself to more food if you get hungry in the night, I've heard you SOLDIER lads can eat for the whole of Midgar"

It was true, being mako enhanced meant you could eat considerably more than the average man and considerably less for that matter if need be.

Elmyra cheerily dropped the extra blankets and made back for the door on the other side of the room where Aerith now stood looking flustered.

Scratching the back of his head Zack replied "oh err thanks, thanks a lot Mrs Gai.. Elmyra"

As Elmyra left the room Zack looked back over at Aerith wishing the moment hadn't been interrupted and she was still over here next to him.

"Well.. goodnight Zack" Aerith remarked softly with a trace of nervousness in her voice

"Night Aerith" he lamely responded as she turned for the door, but before she could exit he spoke again, a desire to see that gorgeous smile once more.

"Aerith", she turned, "How about we go fix that damn cart tomorrow?"

His words had the desired effect, a warm smile spread across her elegant features which he reciprocated.

"That would be wonderful" she replied with a small nod before leaving the room.

His heart still thundered in his chest as he fell back onto the bed. As he stared at the ceiling feeling the most content since he could remember, he quietly thanked a dear friend for giving him this time.

* * *

**Chapter 3 Part 4- Intimate assurances**

Despite the comfort of the room sleep did not come easy to Zack, the flashing images that had played through his mind had returned. Amongst the blur of recollections he once again found himself confronted with scenes he could not make sense of.

_Crossing a wooden bridge with the girl he recognised as Tifa with him, the bridge snapping and both of them plummeting into darkness._

_The same girl laying unconscious on a bed while a large bearded man screamed silent rage at him._

_Surrounded in pillars of flame, choking smoke and death as a village burned and screams filled the air. His gaze tracking around the destruction until they met deadly green amongst the flames. The nightmare! carrying the 7 foot blade Masamune dripping with innocent blood, a man he once trusted, someone he once called friend. Zack felt the same bolt of fear strike him as it had done before but this time he maintained control and glared back menacingly. The action made the silver haired swordsman's lips curl into a vicious smile "so the pup is finally bearing teeth"._

_Sephiroth had always been an unreadable mask void of emotion, many believed him incapable of emotion, but Zack had know the man unlike most. However now as he stared at what had taken his place he no longer saw the same person, a monster, cold and without compassion. The way he held himself amidst the flames, tall and proud as if revelling in a victory as innocent people burned. Zack screamed with rage._

" _I TRUSTED YOU SEPHIROTH, I! TRUSTED! YOU!"_

_The generals face darkened and his eyes pulsed a horrifying luminous jade._

" _As did my ancestors you" his voice was a growl, more animal than human._

" _TRAITOR!" he spat, Masamune went up and cut through the air towards him as Sephiroth launched himself through the flames. Before he could strike, Zacks mind was violently thrown back into reality with a blistering pain._

* * *

**Chapter 3 Part 5- Intimate assurances**

Aerith had been wide awake, hearing the turmoil Zack was going through. Suddenly his pained and confused murmurings changed into terrifying blood chilling shouts. Leaping out of bed she ran across the halls and into his room, eyes widening in horror at what she saw. Zack was convulsing on the bed, beads of sweat running across his face as he howled in fear and rage.

"I! TRUSTED! YOU!"

Closing the distance she threw herself beside him, looking helplessly at what to do.

"Zack! Zack! wake up" she shook him as hard as her small frame could shake the muscle heavy SOLDIER.

"ZACK! PLEASE WAKE UP" she was panicking now

Scrambling on top of his bare torso to try and pin down his violent thrashing she grabbed his head in both hands and screamed even louder.

"ZACK PLEASE!"

This time he came to howling in agony, two strong arms shot around her torso as he bolted upright. She gasped as she felt his fingers painfully claw at her back as he was wracked with pain.

"Zack its ok im here, Zack you're safe" tears rolled down her face as she caressed his head against her chest. A loud jagged breath rang out from him as he collapsed backwards onto the bed dragging her with him.

_He hadn't been breathing the entire time!_

She continued to gently stroke his face wrapped in her arms as his violent shaking slowly died down into small shuddering tremors. Brushing jet black bangs from his face she quietly mourned the story of suffering that did not belong on a young handsome face. Thin dark eyebrows creased and contorted in pain, two crossing scars on his left cheek telling a much more serious story as SOLDIER's did not scar easily.

Zacks glowing blue orbs opened and met with hers, bright enough to cast a calm shade of cerulean across the dark room.

"Aerith? Aerith are you alright? his voice was soft with concern but still shaking and uneasy from before

He was asking her if SHE was alright! then she realised that her entire body was shaking against his with frayed nerves. She was still laying on top of him her hands pressed against his bare heaving chest that slowly began to calm.

Her senses flared as the she felt Zacks hand that had been tightly clutching her now exposed thigh, loosen into gentle strokes. Her light lilac nightdress had rode up to her waist as her legs straddled either side of his torso. Her stomach and chest that were firmly pressed against his fluttered, only the thin material of her nightdress between them. She felt her cheeks flush and her breathing became heavy again as she could feel the groves of every muscle along his torso against hers. She had never been in a position this intimate before and her mind screamed for her to jump away and cover up.

Zack's face was still a mask of concern, his hand brushed a lock of fallen chestnut curls from her face and the other traced flames of heat from her thigh to her hips.

"You were having a nightmare" she quietly panted, struggling to get the words out between her shortened breathing. "I was so scared Zack".

"err.. yeah..Im really sorry about that, its ok, im fine" he seemed embarrassed and her mind continued to scream that she should probably get of him now and hide herself but her body didn't want to move.

_She was enjoying this, she wanted him to see her, accept her, she wanted to be his_

Her eyes widened at the stray thought that crossed her mind and she made to pull away with an embarrassed apology. Before she could fully, two strong hands wrapped around her bare hamstrings, pinning her hips to him causing her breath to hitch.

"Don't go, stay with me" Zacks deep pleading whisper sent chills across her skin and all she could do, all she wanted to do was obey.

She laid her swimming head against his chest, listening to the strong rhythmic beating of his heart. Knowing he needed her as much as she needed him flooded her with emotion. Now it was her turn to return the same words he'd said to her earlier.

"I will always be here Zack, I promise"

With that she felt his body beneath her shudder and finally relax completely, his grip around the top of her legs where her night dress should be softened. The sensation of one gentle hand trailing up her spine made her back arch in delight and their entwined bodies to merge even closer together.

Never feeling more content in her life she drifted peacefully to the sound of his beating heart, the rise and fall of each of his long breaths and the gentle strokes of his hands.


	4. Fond beginnings

**Chapter 4 Part 1- Fond beginnings**

The above average heat of the day had both its pros and cons. It was great if you ran a drinks bar in the middle of the slums, not so great if you were a well-endowed female dealing with overheated intoxicated men.

However Tifa was more than capable of handling herself against any man. With the skills the martial artist had learned from master Zangan a bar full of men actually.

Male attempts at groping her had become more uncommon compared to the early days when she first opened seventh heaven. Over the years she had grown a reputation at dealing the odd black eye or sending a drunken lout hurtling head first out the door. The locals had come to respect her and often enjoyed the show as the occasional clueless out of towner tried his luck.

The last of the regulars were just stumbling their way out the door for closing time.

"g'night Teef *hic* you sa greatest ever.. me *hic* run away togesher"

"I'm sure your wife would have something to say about that Bill, night guys" Tifa beamed, fond of the kind-hearted old man.

Swinging the closed sign too she made her way over to the bar to spend the next hour or so cleaning up. She enjoyed the task, a peaceful moment of the day she could be with herself and her thoughts. Most of which were for her new family, Marlene had become like a daughter to her and she loved the sweet timid girl dearly. Barret had been the first father figure she'd had since hers was murdered by that monster 4 years ago, while Biggs, Wedge and Jessie were like brothers and sisters to her. The truly tragic thing though was the bond that had first connected them all was one of hatred for Shinra. They had all joined AVALANCHE, a terrorist organisation to get revenge against the company for what it had taken from each of them.

Biggs, Barrett and Jessie were out overnight on a recon mission of the sector one reactor while Wedge and Marlene were upstairs asleep.

Then there were the darker thoughts she sometimes had, thoughts of her hometown burning, watching her father's lifeless body bleeding out on the floor, the slice of the monsters blade from her breast to her abdomen that had nearly killed her.

But not tonight. Tonight her thoughts were now of him, of Cloud, he had kept his promise and came back for her when she needed him most then disappeared like smoke in the wind. After Nibelheim she searched for him, longed for him, even wept for him for days on end. She could never explain or understand the feelings she had for Cloud, a quiet boy who had left for SOLDIER when she was young. Yet every day she had thought of him at least once and her soul would ache for him like it was now.

_If you're out there Cloud , please come home._

She paused drying the beer mug she was holding as tears threatened to prick the corner of her large brown eyes. Clenching her teeth hard she fought them back.

_You're not that emotional little girl from Nibelheim anymore! Too many people rely on you now._

She clenched so hard the handle of the beer mug she was holding snapped and she let out a frustrated sigh.

That was when the sound of the bar door opening behind her went off. It was probably some drunk returning to proclaim his love for her, or worse try to touch her so she would have to clobber them.

"Were closed now" she called but whoever had entered made no move to leave.

Turning in frustration, not in the mood anymore to be disturbed she was caught off guard when the sight of the man at the door made her breath catch. Why it did she didn't know, she did not immediately recognise the stranger and yet as she stared frozen at him and he stared right back, her head began to whirl and her chest began to heave.

What happened next was beyond explanation, after a long and intense pause the man crossed the bar and walked straight towards her. Usually by this point she would have put up a defensive fighting stance, but she stood motionlessly, unable to interpret the river of emotions flowing through her.

Then she felt his arms around her, wrapping her in a tight intimate embrace while her head screamed in frenzy.

_Why wasn't she hitting him?_

_Who the hell was he?_

_Why was she fiercely embracing him back!?_

Her mind furiously worked to solve who this person was and why they were holding each other. All she knew right now was that constant ache in her soul had faded and she didn't want to let go.

* * *

**Chapter 4 Part 2- Fond beginnings**

After waking from the best night sleep he'd had in years, Zack knew it was time for him to fulfil his promise to Cloud and visit Tifa. Aerith just so happened to have heard of a Tifa who worked in a bar in the sector seven slums called "seventh heaven", it was worth a shot.

Walking there he had been a bag of nerves.

_How would he tell her?_

_What would he say?_

_How could he explain the events of the last 4 years when he didn't even fully understand them himself?_

If it hadn't been for Aerith tightly holding his hand for reassurance the entire way he doubted he would have made it. Upon arrival later that evening Aerith waited outside, understanding that Zack did not need an audience to make this any worse. Not that he was even certain it would be the Tifa he was actually looking for on the other side.

The moment he stepped in the bar however he knew it was her, not simply because she still had the same resemblance of the girl he briefly met four years ago. It was something deeper than that. The feelings Zack was experiencing towards this practical stranger were a strange mystery to him. Looking at her the overwhelming urge to shelter her, comfort her, embrace her took over as if they were not his own. And so he acted on impulse.

As he held Tifa in his arms, feeling her silky dark brown waist length hair, her arms returning the hold, he decided that regardless of what these feelings really were, he would protect this women with his life.

Tifa's voice was the first to speak.

"Where's Cloud?"

"I'm here Tifa" the words left his mouth before he even had a chance to think them. She pulled away sharply to stare into his eyes with desperate confusion.

_Why the hell did I just say that?_

"I mean… I mean I'm here for you Tifa",

"I don't understand, Cloud? where's Cloud? I remember you, Zack Fair wasn't it? you were a friend of Clouds. You were there four years ago", she began recoiling away from him.

"Your one of the SOLDIERS that brought that monster to my home!"

"No it's not like that! please let me explain.."

"No!.. Why can't Cloud explain? Where?….. Where is he?" hearing her voice beginning to crack as she frantically looked to the door behind him his resolve dropped and he desperately tried to form words in his mouth.

"He….. we…. Tifa I…."

"WHERE IS CLOUD?!" she exploded, heading for the door. Quickly he grabbed her by both arms before she could leave.

"THEY KIDNAPPED US! SHINRA! ME AND CLOUD, THEY LOCKED US AWAY FOR FOUR FUCKING YEARS!" the barmaid winced in his grasp and he lowered but no more calmed his voice "After Sephiroth cut you I tried to stop him but I couldn't" she violently flinched at the name.

"Last thing I remember was Cloud entering that chamber to face him after I failed.. after that everything's a blur. I remember being trapped next to Cloud inside these tanks with.. with needles…. experiments…. mako.. scientists... they experimented on us" his head began to pound, remembering was one thing, but saying them out loud made them real.

Tifa gasped as fresh tears flowed down her cheeks "I'm sorry, please.. please let's just sit and wait for Clo.."

Cutting her off Zack felt the mako in his body begin to boil as the memories continued to stir. His entire body began to swell with anger as a dark glow of rage spread across face.

"Somehow Cloud must have got us both out… because… because we escaped…. but I just laid there…. like a…. LIKE A HELPLESS CHILD!" shouting in long over-due fury he sent the nearby wooden round table hurtling across the bar, crashing into the far wall where it splintered into a thousand pieces. Tifa barely seemed to notice as she hyperventilated on the spot.

Continuing his tirade.

"Shinra sent troops to ambush us outside of Midgar to kill me, Cloud, he faced them alone and he…"

"No! please, I don't want to hear anymore, just stop!" Tifa sobbed.

"Somehow he beat them and saved me but his body… he was so badly..."

"Please Zack… please don't" her voice was nothing but a whispered cry and he felt his anger dissolve into silent despair. Hardly able to say the words his voice shook and became as quiet as hers had been.

"... they killed him"

Zack would never forget the terrible sound that tore from her for the rest of his life.

* * *

**Chapter 4 Part 3- Fond beginnings**

Tifa felt numb, her body began to sway and a strong arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her upright as her legs gave way. He sat her down in a nearby chair and although Zack's next words were a meaningless blur she drew comfort from them. Looking through tear filled eyes across the table at him, although he had the eyes of a SOLDIER who were the enemy, she felt no threat from Zack. She could sense he was the same kind-hearted person she guided up that mountain four years ago.

Turning as the bar door opened, a pretty girl in a pink dress about the same age as her stepped in tentatively. Glancing at Zack his eyes were still fixed on her with a concerned look, he gave a small nod that told her this girl was with him.

"I'm.. I'm sorry to barge in here I heard shouting. Hi I'm Aerith."

The girl Aerith threw her a sympathetic smile, usually she hated being pitied, but for the second time today Tifa found herself instantly warm to a total stranger and let the hot tears openly trickle down her cheek.

"I'm really sorry about your friend Cloud, but I just wanted you to know that I felt his spirit when he died, he was happy and content."

She looked at the woman questioningly, then to Zack who nodded another confirmation.

"I have this…. power. I can sense when someone I know joins the life stream or even a person someone I know is really close to. Like Zack was with Cloud."

Tifa knew what this girl said should have registered as crazy nonsense, and yet she believed her. The heavy grief that threatened to crush her lifted slightly as relief from Aerith's words washed over her.

He had been happy and content. It hurt but what more could she ask for?

Tifa reached out and took the girls hands in hers.

"Thank you… Aerith"

"She's rights Teef, right before Cloud died… I told him I would pass you a message, something he wanted to tell you his whole life".

"What?"

That stole Tifa's breath, he had thought of her in his last moments?!

"He loved you Tifa, more than friends. Not a day passed he didn't think about you and you know, I think in his own way, it was one of the reasons he joined SOLDIER, to prove it to you."

Tifa drowned in the feeling's coursing through her, his words were like a last missing puzzle piece, it fit perfectly and completed something that was previously senseless. He loved her! And now all her feelings for him made sense, it was love! She loved him too! She had always known it. He didn't need to become a SOLDIER, he didn't need to be a hero or a skilled fighter, just being her Cloud was enough. If she had any more tears left to cry they would have fallen, whether out of joy or sorrow she could no longer tell.

"Zack... thank you Zack"

"Tifa I heard shouting and Wedgey is snoring like a aminal again" the small timid voice of Marlene called from the stairway in a sleepy daze.

"Oh sweetheart I'm sorry, its fine, go back to bed", Tifa rubbed her eyes briskly

"Tifa why your eyes all red and sad? Are these bad guys?", the morbid atmosphere lifted as everyone felt the same endearing joy that only childlike innocence can bring.

"No darling, this is Aerith and this is Zack, they're our friends" she made the sentence more of a declaration towards the two who both responded with an acknowledging nod.

Zack stood up and crossed the room with a kind smile towards Marlene.

"That's right, would a bad guy do this?"

Crouching on one knee Zack pulled a small yellow flower from behind his back that even amazed Tifa, flowers that weren't weeds practically didn't exist around here. Marlene's eyes bugged at the small flower, fixated she shuffled in her small bunny slippers across the floor up to Zack.

"Wowy! Tifa! Tifa look at what the man Jack got!"

"It's Zack darling, say thank you Marlene."

The little girl giggled "Tifa! It's not for me silly"

"Why not?" Zack asked

"Coz you're only s'posed to give them to a pretty girl to be your girlfriend."

"Well in that case it looks like me and you are an item now Marlene doesn't it?"

Blushing Marlene gave a small nod whilst shyly chewing on the sleeve of her night robe and looking hesitantly at Aerith.

"What is it Marlene?" Aerith asked kindly, encouraging the girl to speak.

"Umm… you're pretty, are you Zack's girlfriend too?"

"I don't know Marlene, let's ask Zack shall we?... well Zack?", all three women turned to stare at him.

It was hard but Tifa grinned as a startled Zack tripped over his tongue, floundering for words.

"well… errr… I… errr… umm.. I guess.."

"I'm just teasing" Aerith giggled "hey Marlene, how about we go upstairs and you show me your room."

Tifa nodded as Aerith looked over, confirming that it was ok and she was grateful for some extra time to deal with the recent news. Barret would go mad if he knew she had left Marlene with a stranger as well as host a SOLDIER. But there was something in these two people that commanded her total trust.

"Sweet daughter you have there" Zack commented as the two girls left.

Tifa smile and let her sorrow hide away for now, she would manage it alone, in her own time.

"Oh no she's not mine. Although I would love to be. Her dad…. well kind of dad lives here.. but were not together or anything!... no he is more like a dad to me than anything…. he's errr… out on a job right now" Tifa mentally slapped herself at how ridiculous that all sounded.

"Wow.. complicated family you got there, sounds like this might need a drink?"

She nodded, Zack moved over to the bar and poured a whiskey for her.

"Not gonna have one?" she returned when he handed her the glass.

"Pfff mako, can't feel it, it would be wasted on me, one of the annoying side effects they don't tell you about at Shinra. Although if you do have any industrial strength toilet cleaner lying around I hear that works."

Tifa laughed, Zack was clearly a person gifted at making you feel better no matter what the circumstance.

"Aww what the hell."

Pouring another Zack sat back down.

"So what do you plan to do now?"

"Make Shinra pay" he stated bluntly not mincing his words as he stared into the brown liquid in his hand.

"I was hoping you would say that, I have a group of people I want you meet"

* * *

**Chapter 4 Part 4- Fond beginnings**

"You told this crazy foo' bout the entire mission! Have ya' lost ya' damn mind Teef!"

"Like I told you already! He hates Shinra as much as we do, he's on our side."

"He's a SOLDIER!… HE IS SHINRA FER CHRIST SAKE!"

"Personally I think it's pretty cool" Biggs interjected

"Cool?! Shit! This ain't some action movie we filmin' here! I don't trust him!"

Jessie grinned leaning against the far wall, Barret was always like this about new people joining the group, even when she had tried to join two years ago. With little to no combat skills he'd said she would just be a burden to them, what she did have however was a natural skill and passion for technology and that had proved itself useful.

She sat listening to the back and forward debate while fiddling with her latest project.

"Hey how you doing? Nice to meet you, I'm Zack" the sudden greeting from the new SOLDIER guy startled Jessie

"Oh er, hey, I'm Jessie"

"He always this cranky?" he thumbed at Barret on the other side of the room

Jessie chuckled "yeah to strangers, but once you get to know him he's the best"

"Hmm, I see. So what you working on?"

"Uhh nothing interesting, just boring stuff."

Jessie was always self-conscious that no one else shared the same enthusiasm as she did for gadgets and wouldn't be interested. Especially so around other females, Jessie just had never taken any interest in girly things and it always made her feel insecure next to pretty girl's like Aerith and well Tifa, she had assets that would make most women feel insecure.

"Ahh top secret stuff ay?" Zack teased.

"Oh no its just a new model detonation switch for a three-nine-eight para-droxide Octanitrocubane device I'm working on, I'm trying to increase the trigger range" she cringed at how lame that sounded.

"Octa-bane? Holy cow that stuffs got some kick. I sure as hell would wanna be as far away as possible when that stuff goes boom. That's pretty awesome Jessie."

Jessie blinked rapidly in surprise.

_He not only understood what I just said but also thinks it's awesome? Perhaps he's just teasing me like Wedge and Biggs._

"Really?"

"Yeah totally, once we smooth things out with the big guy over there perhaps you can show me some of your other stuff?"

Jessie had admittedly been hesitant as well about letting an ex-SOLDIER join the group, but now she warmed to him and by the sound of laughter from Biggs and Wedge they were warming to Aerith.

"Yeah sure!.. thanks Zack"

Now it was time to get them into AVALANCHE.

"Hey Barret" the man turned still mid argument with Tifa. "I think we should let them in, you know we need the extra man power and it doesn't come better that an ex-first class. Plus think of all the knowledge he has on Shinra, he could really help us do some damage."

Barret's adamant position faltered, Jessie had played a strong card, nothing could convince the man more than the prospect of getting back at Shinra.

"Ahhh fuck it I give up, but don't you think for one minute I'm letting your punk ass outta my sight Porcupine" he growled at Zack, "and what about your little girlfriend over here? I guess while we just letting any ol foo's in she wants in too?"

"Yes please Mr Barret sir I want to join, I won't be a burden I promise."

The sheer sweetness of the girl made Barret flush with guilt.

"Ok ok… I get tha' picture... but its jus' Barret ok! Mr Barret don't sound right."

Biggs and Wedge let out a triumphant WHOOP while Zack bounded off the crate he sat beside Jessie on.

"ALRIGHT! Now were talking B, I just knew it, me and you gonna be best buds" Zack threw an arm round Barrett and even Jessie had to suppress a laugh.

"Get ya damn hands off me! Ma name aint "B" an I ain't no best buds with some SOLDIER hotshot foo!"

"You know, if we're calling each other names based on appearances, then I suppose I'd better start calling you Mr…"

Barret raised his gun arm at Zack.

"Don't ya say another word."

Both men stood staring at one another, Zack completely motionless while Barret gave him a 'I dare you to say it' glare. Slowly a courageous grin crossed Zack's face.

"T", the moment the consonant left his mouth Zack bolted for the door, Barret roared with rage and charged in pursuit. Zack leapt neatly over the obstructing table while Barret crashed through it as if it didn't exist. Both men hurtled out of the bar, round the corner and out of sight. After a silent pause the rest of the room erupted into laughter.

Jessie spent the next fifteen minutes that they were gone talking to Aerith and if it's possible to make a friend in that short a time she did. The girl was just so incredibly likeable that even Tifa who had always been somewhat of a social snag got along with her. It was then that Barret and Zack returned, both roughed up with a number of minor cuts and bruises.

"You know you're pretty fast for a big guy" Zack laughed breathlessly

"An don't ya forget it! Spose ya don't fight too bad for a scrawny kid either" Barret returned equally puffed out.

Tifa stepped over with a smile.

"If I could just interrupt your little romance for a moment, does this mean Zack and Aerith are in on the mission?"

Barret turned to her "Jessie, we good to go?", she nodded.

"Then get in here foo's! We startin' the meetin'!"

They all made their way into the secret AVALANCHE headquarters beneath the bar where they spent the next hour going over the current details of the planned sector one bombing.

"So is everyone clear on what the hell they doin?"

The entire room nodded confidently.

"Good! then lets blow tha piece o' shit reactor sky-high and hit those greedy Shinra bastards where it hurts!"

No one knew how or when she got in the room, but everyone jumped alert when a voice from the corner of the room spoke.

"Blowing up a Shinra mako reactor, now that's not such a good idea."

Zack was the first to speak.

"… Cissnei?"


	5. Breaking news

**Chapter 5 Part 1- Breaking news  
**

After Cissnei decided to make her presence known the room had exploded into chaos and very nearly ended in Barrett Wallace shooting her then and there. Zack had just about managed to convince them to let him speak to her and find out her real intentions. The truth was, she wasn't entirely sure of them herself.

"I failed you twice Zack, I'm sorry"

After hearing Zack's hazy recollection of what Shinra had done to him and his friend, the guilt she had been carrying got heavier.

"I tried searching for you, but everything just led to dead ends, then outside Midgar, I came looking but…", she sighed.

"Why?

The simple response from Zack surprised her.

"Why?"

"Ye why? it's not like we were ever the best of friends Ciss and you don't owe me anything. So what paycheck for the Turks was my capture going to cash in?"

Though Rufus Shinra had indeed put a price on Zack's capture, turning him in had never been her intention, so his cold words hurt Cissnei more than she could have anticipated. Yet his question was valid, why was she trying to help him? not once in the four years of searching for him had she even asked herself that question. Sure, Zack was a nice guy and she liked him, but it was more than that. Then a realisation she had not known about herself dawned.

"Cissnei?"

"I didn't do it for the pay check.. I guess for once I wanted to be more than just a Turk, following missions for others, never asking questions. Being something other than what someone else told me to be all my life. The Turks took me in when I was just a child, I never chose this life Zack."

He seemed taken back by her honesty, in truth she was even surprising herself.

"I think saving you was that, trying to be more, it's like you're destined to do something good that I have a chance to be a part of."

Cissnei stood with her arms hugged tightly around herself, suddenly feeling very small and alone.

"Do you remember when I told you about how I always wanted to have wings as a child because they symbolized freedom?"

Zack nodded

"Perhaps you're my chance to have wings."

A look of shame spread across his face.

"I'm sorry Ciss, I didn't realise... thankyou"

"No! don't thank me Zack! I didn't help you, I failed", despite years of training her voice broke with emotion.

"For trying"

"That's not good enough! I've never failed before! then for once when succeeding actually meant something I failed"

"I know the feeling, believe me, it's not your fault... so what now? are you just gonna just quit being a Turk"

Cissnei let out a small laugh at the notion "I'll always be a Turk Zack, but perhaps I can still be more?"

"Tha's it! I've had enough of ya foo's whisperin'"

"Barret please"

"No Teef! we have a Turk an' a ex-SOLDIER in our base fa' fuck sake! this has gone too far"

"Your plan to blow up the number 1 reactor is a bad idea" Cissnei repeated

"An' what the fuck would you know" he snarled

"I know a better plan that won't hurt or risk the lives of thousands of people"

"Those reactors are killin' tha' planet! Tha' only lives that gonna get ruined when that heap of junk blows are those greedy Shinra bastards and their pockets!"

"And who exactly funds those pockets? the people. Do you think by blowing the reactor Shinra are gonna take the hit? No, Shinra will never be the ones to lose, they'll hike prices to cover the loss, media propaganda will tell them it's to protect them against AVALANCHE terrorists and you'll just be making the poor poorer. Not to mention you'll be cutting a supply of mako from an eighth of the city, leaving those people without power causing many of them to lose their jobs and their livelihoods."

An exchange of uncertain glances spread throughout the room and Cissnei could see the logic in her words was registering.

"That's best case scenario, you may just push Shinra too far and they decide to take the same approach as they did at Mt. Corel and I'm sure you haven't forgotten about that Barret".

"Don't ya talk about Corel!"

"What happened at Mt. Corel?" Aerith quietly squeaked, clearly shaken.

"Shinra built a mako reactor there, then a terrorist organisation who just so happen to be the founding branch of AVALANCHE destroyed it. Shinra retaliated and destroyed the entire village, killing everyone in it"

Aerith gasped loudly.

Barret was violently shaking with rage "Tha's right! those bastards destroyed ma' home! ma' friends'! ma' wife Elenoa, Marlene's parents', everyone! fa' no good reason". With a shout of fury he threw a blow at the nearby heavy punching bag, snapping the metal chains clean it crashed into the wall causing the room to shake. Tifa held a close to tears Jessie in her arms while Aerith went to sit with a quiet Wedge who had moved off to sit in the corner alone.

"Tha's why those parasites gonna pay!, an' why I aint trustin' anythin' that comes outta ya Turk scum mouth!

"The Turks had nothing to do with Corel"

"Ya paid by Shinra so it's tha' same thing! the only plan ya' got is tha' plan to get us all arrested and killed" he barked angrily.

"Exactly how difficult do you think it would have been for me to have this place surrounded Barret? you've all been in here for the last couple of hours, if I wanted you arrested or killed what would have stopped me? perhaps you'd like to pop upstairs and find out?".

Barrett's expression changed from anger to bewildered uncertainty as he stammered the beginning's of illogical sentences.

"Ya' must have... ya' probably... ya' trying to'... Jessie take a look!"

Jessie shakily pulled up a visual of the perimeter from the CCTV they'd installed, "it's clear.."

"As for being paid by Shinra, these days the Turks work for Rufus Shinra, not president Shinra".

"I don't care if it's granny Shinra payin' ya', same fucking difference!"

"Oh I think you'll find their very much not the same"

"It's still blood money ya' takin'"

"Fine, in that case so are you. Rufus Shinra has been secretly funding AVALANCHE for years to get at his father."

The sound of crashing furniture and startled shouts filled the room as people jumped to their feet.

"SHE'S LYING!", "NO WAY!", "THAT'S NOT TRUE!"

Barret's startled yet silent response spoke volumes.

"Barret, it's not true is it? were not being paid by Shinra are we?" Tifa whispered fearingly

"Barret what the hell man!?" Biggs yelled when the man didn't answer straight away

"For a long time AVALANCHE been gettin' money from an anonymous donator, we guessed it was someone lookin' to save tha' planet as well, it could be true... I dunno"

"So this Rufus guy wants to save the planet as much as we do?" Jessie questioned

"Tsch.. hardly, Rufus Shinra is just as greed driven as his father, probably will do anything to get his old man off the throne including funding AVALANCHE" Zack replied

With the details she had divulged, Cissnei had now crossed a line, for now she would not be able to return to the Turks. Tseng, Reno, Rude, the Turks, they had been the only family she had ever known and loved, if this group did not accept her then she was truly alone. They were all shockingly silent as her information still weighed heavy in the room.

"Now are you ready to listen to my plan?"

* * *

**Chapter 5 Part 2 **\- Breaking news****

Riding the Midgar rail system to their destination Zack tightly held Aerith's hand, despite insisting on coming she was a fright with nerves.

"You're gonna be alright, your bodyguards here remember"

She managed a small smile "It's not myself I'm worried for, once we do this they're gonna hunt for you Zack"

"Jessie, how much longer until the next search?"

"Three minutes Teef"

The eight of them were heading for the SNN (Shinra news network) studios in the middle class region of sector 2, they had split into two carriages as a group that big would draw too much attention. Tifa, Zack, Jessie and Aerith rode in one carriage, while Barret, Biggs, Wedge and Cissnei were in the one ahead, Barret had insisted that if we were going to follow her plan then he wasn't going to let Cissnei leave his sight. Zack just hoped they wouldn't kill each other.

Cissnei's plan was simple, yet even more dangerous than blowing up a mako reactor. Break into the heavily guarded SNN studios, hack the network, broadcast Zack's video footage, get out, blow the joint. When asked how this was a going to better idea than blowing up a reactor Cissnei had responded.

"Think about it, we have Zack Fair, first class and previously the second in command to general Sephiroth in the SOLDIER army, many will still remember and idolize him. He makes a broadcast revealing to the world that Shinra have had him imprisoned for the last four years. Once they find out what Shinra did to even someone of Zack's status, there will be another mass desertion in the ranks, the last one crippled Shinra so bad it's what caused them to abandon the war in Wutai for a peace treaty. On top of that they're going to discover your still alive in the next day or two anyway, so before that you should make such a re-appearance as to shake the president and the board of directors up a bit, throw them off-balance, maybe even cause some of them to go into hiding or turn on one another. Finally, once we blow the studios Shinra will lose what has always been their greatest weapon, propaganda and fear. Without the news network they wont be able to broadcast for months and it will be one more step towards loosening their grip over the people."

Everyone including Zack had been flabbergasted at how anyone could come up with such an intricate plan by themselves. Barret as to be expected had been resistant to the new idea, more out of pride than logic. Tifa, Biggs and Wedge agreed it was a better plan, Aerith had just been concerned at the prospect of using him as a catalyst and Jessie was just pleased she still got to blow something sky-high as well as the challenge of hacking a complex network.

"Heads up! the sweeps coming" Jessie warned

"Right, lets move" Zack replied

The four of them discretely made their way to the end of the compartment and hopped into the next carriage. From Jessie's calculation and with a little 'interference', by the time the rail security sweep hit the last carriage they would arrive at the SNN station and be off the train.

"Hey Zack, you wanna look at this with me? it's a map of the Midgar rail system. Lets look at it together. I'll explain it to you. I like this kinda stuff, bombs and monitors.. you know, flashy stuff"

Zack obliged, he already knew how the system worked, but hearing Jessie's enthusiastic explanation of the system was refreshing and it made him inwardly smile.

"Never change Jessie" the words fell from his mouth making her blink in surprise.

"How'd you mean?"

"Just.. no matter what happens, whatever terrible things we might go through in all of this, just keep being the same happy techno wizz you are now"

Zack hadn't expected that what he said would cause Jessie's eyes to well up.

"Thanks Zack... that means a lot"

* * *

**Chapter 5 Part 3 **\- Breaking news****

Hopping into the next carriage had been a close one, the second ID sweep had come a minute earlier than expected and it had set of a red flashing security alarm while a monitor screamed that a search of the carriage was to be conducted. Before the connecting doors locked down they had just about managed to get across in time.

It had not helped Aerith's already fragile nerves to say the least and she began to doubt her decision in joining AVALANCHE. Doubt had been all she had felt for the last few days, ever since that night with Zack things has not been the same and it weighed heavy on her heart. What did that night mean? were they now together? at first she'd thought so even though it had not actually been said outright. Then looking through the bar window she had seen Tifa and Zack embracing, in a way that was clear to anyone that they were more than just friends.

Ever since then there had been this connection between them both. Like when Barret had told them about his home, after supporting Jessie, Tifa had moved close to Zack as if just being near him brought her comfort. Zack also seemed protective of Tifa, while planning the strategy details of Cissnei's idea, any task given to Tifa that seemed dangerous Zack would object to, saying he would take care of it instead. She was not a jealous person but now Aerith began to think that perhaps that night hadn't meant anything.

_He was in fits of pain and you climbed on top of him, he probably would have accepted comfort from anyone._

The thought of that really hurt, that what they had experienced together was not special. She wanted to talk to him, but the last few days had been so hectic that they had not been able to spend any time together alone. Perhaps the four years apart had changed things between them more than she'd thought.

The loud crash of someones heavy luggage being thrown into the overhead compartment brought her mind back to as she jumped fiercely. She wasn't cut out for this like the others, fighting and going on bombing missions. Violence and anger had just never been in her nature and it saddened her deeply to see the people she was with so filled with hurt, rage and the desire for revenge.

Even now staring at Tifa, a kind girl she had come to befriend, she was glaring at one of the numerous screens televising Shinra news with hatred, her knuckles cracking as they curled into tight fists.

"Tifa.. do you think were doing the right thing here?"

She turned and Aerith could see she had been battling with the same doubts.

"I honestly don't know, all I do know is that things can't go on the way they are"

"But what if were about to start something? something that's gonna get a lot of people hurt?"

Tifa let out a sad sigh "I've been thinking the same thing. But working at the bar, meeting all of you, I don't think any us haven't already been hurt by Shinra in some way or another"

It was difficult to fight the urge just to lay down and despair, with so many lives destroyed and ruined, with the planet slowly dying every second, hope seemed a distant memory to her right now. Tifa must have noticed as she took one of her hands and offered it a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry, it's gonna be alright, everything's gonna get better from now on. Hey, once this is all over, how about me, you and Jessie go out? just us girls?"

The ability for such a simple statement to cause such an extreme polarization in her feelings was outstanding. A rush of elation laced with excitement rose up at the idea.

"That would be wonderful! but what about Cissnei?"

"I suppose by the end of today we'll have our answer on that"

* * *

**Chapter 5 Part 4 **\- Breaking news****

The last carriage switch had gone without a hitch, there was only one more switch left and Jessie was beginning to feel relieved that despite the one slight hiccup, she had so far deciphered the details of the rail system's security coding correctly. Right now adrenaline was the only thing keeping her going, she had been up all night working on the rail codes, checking and fine tuning the Octanitrocubane bomb and trying to program the required algorithm to hack the news network. She would not have been able to complete that last part if it were not for Cissnei appearing at three in the morning and helping her out. It turns out that the young Turk is incredibly gifted at hacking system's and databases that even Jessie had been in awe at the speed in which she could crack a file.

"So let's go over this once more, were gonna move to the end of this compartment ready to switch carriages, wait for the next sweep and then meet up with the others. Jessies gonna hang back here to delay the final sweep and give us enough time to reach the studios."

A task she had to do alone, she only had enough time to create a fake ID for herself, so if delaying the final security sweep didn't work she wouldn't get caught and the others could jump off the train early. Walking the rest of the way through the rail tunnels however presented itself with a number of problems that they would rather avoid if they could.

"Once we disembark were gonna have a lot of company. Me, Barret and Cissnei will lead the way, Tifa and Biggs will bring up the rear. Once were out of the station we'll regroup and prepare for the next part of the plan, getting inside the studio's. Everyone clear?".

A round of sure nods passed between them. Aerith placed a hand on her shoulder, a concerned look on her face.

"Are you sure you will be ok Jessie?"

"Hey, if worst comes to worst it's you guys who are gonna have to jump and I'll be Miss Charlotte Wilks demanding from the rail guards what the nuisance is all about. Now go and be ready to switch in 8 minutes".

Tifa grabbed her into a hug and placed a kiss on her cheek

"Be safe"

"Yeah we got a girls night out to tell you about" Aerith beamed

"You run into any problems you give me a shout ok?"

"Will do Zack"

The other three made their way down the long carriage, Jessie let out a nervous sigh, the truth was the chances of this part failing were pretty high and the fake ID would not hold true under any real scrutiny. Pulling out the small jammer she had crafted she moved across to another one of the rail monitors and prepared to delay the next scan by blocking the signal that triggers it.

She had only been waiting two minutes but it felt like hours, this was her chance to prove herself to the others and the thought of failing here filled her with dread. The sound of noisy crashing from the door of the previous carriage drew her attention. Then the door opened.

"...an that's how I killed a Zolom with nufin' but a joint of frozen steak. Hey, why we gotta ride this stinking train anyway? we the Turks yo, we sposed to be like royalty round ere".

_Oh crap_

Two Turks stepped into the carriage, one was tall dark and scary looking with sunglasses, but it was the other one that caught her eye the most. Shocking red hair, a quirky scar tattoo around each beautiful green eye and a pair of awesome motorcycle goggles resting on his forehead. She stared fixated at him.

"Hey darlin', take a picture if ya' want, it'll last longer yo"

_Oh crap! oh crap!_

Jessie quickly moved away and pretended she was looking at something interesting out of the window. Her heart leapt into her throat when the Turk leaned his body across her and proceeded to stare out the same window over her shoulder.

"Say gorgeous, it's not often you find someone on a public train who doesn't look like they've suffered from a mako fall out. What's ya' name?"

Using a fake ID and putting on an act was nothing new to Jessie, but whoever this person was, he threw her senses off-balance and she very nearly came out and told him her real name.

"Je... Ummm Charlotte... Charlotte Wilks"

"Well Ummm Charlotte, what d'ya say to me takin' you out on the best night'a ya' life?"

"Sorry I'm errr married"

"Tight sod too cheap to buy you a ring?"

"Soon to be! soon to be married!"

"My question still stands"

"Uh yeah.. yeah he is"

"Ok then sweetheart, whatever, your loss"

The man backed off and the two Turks started heading down the carriage! Jessie panicked, Zack, Aerith and Tifa were down there, the Turks would recognise at least two of them and then all hell would break loose. Reacting quickly she grabbed the red-head by the arm.

"WAIT!"

He lazily turned with a smirk and raised both eyebrows at her

"I err changed my mind, here's my number", she pulled out her PHS but reeled of a fake number.

"Wrong number babe"

He had written the number into his own PHS which was obviously capable of identifying fake numbers.

"Oops sorry, that's my old one" she stammered as she felt her face turn the same colour as her hair.

Left with no other choice she gave him her real number, not too big a problem as she had made her PHS untraceable anyway.

"Reno, eyes up!" the shout came from further down the carriage

Jessie had been so busy trying to distract the Turk she now knew to be Reno that she hadn't noticed his partner move away. He had spotted the others who now jumped into alert defense stances.

"Well looky what we have here Rude, how sweet, if it isn't Lazarus an' the bosses little girlfriend"

Zack growled, "You alright Jessie?"

"Ahh Jessie is it? good, wasn't too keen on Charlotte, never had a good experience with one"

"Back away Reno"

Reno was pacing around them like a predator.

"Rising from the dead, now that's a pretty neat trick yo. I know someone who would be very interested in finding out just how you did it."

"Wouldn't be Rufus Shinra by any chance would it? not gonna happen" Zack returned

Both Reno and Rude seemed violently thrown off guard that he knew, but it only lasted a split second as both Turks threw up well-trained barriers to mask their emotions. With a small nod to one another Rude's fists went up as he moved into an offensive stance while Reno threw a vicious looking electro-mag rod over his shoulder.

"It wasn't a request champ"


	6. Painfully adapt

**Chapter 6 Part 1- Painfully adapt**

**_With a small nod to one another Rude's fists went up as he moved into an offensive stance while Reno threw a vicious looking electro-mag rod over his shoulder._ **

_**"It wasn't a request champ"** _

Rude was the first to move, dashing with an alarming speed for someone without mako enhancements. He aimed a savage punch at Zack's ribcage but the blow was deflected by an agile kick to his forearm from one of Tifa's long legs.

The scene broke into chaos, Reno charged at Zack with a shout, the electro-mag rod held high while Tifa and Rude exchanged lightning fast blows that Zack would struggle to keep up with. Hand to hand combat had never been one of Zack's greatest strengths, however the tight quarters of the train compartment meant wielding the buster sword would tear the carriage to pieces. Left with no other choice he dodged the incoming attack from Reno giving him an opening to land a quick jab to the Turks kidney. With a short grunt of pain the electro-mag rod swung back around in a vicious arc for his neck, forcing Zack to block the attack with the side of his arm. Despite blocking the rod near the base where the amperage was practically nil compared to the top, a sharp jolt of voltage burned through him. Shaking off the spasms in his arms he realized getting hit by this thing was going to do some serious damage.

"So what exactly is it Rufus wants from me?"

"He wants ya over fa' tea and biscuits.. the hell I care"

"So when I kick your ass you're not even gonna know what it was for?"

Reno grinned and the pace of his attacks quickened.

"So where are you and ya' little pals headed so heavily geared up yo?

"For tea and biscuits, I thought you didn't care?"

"Heh I like you"

They continued to exchange blows, Reno was surprisingly resilient considering the hits Zack was dealing against him. He had recognized that the Turks weakness was giving him no room to swing the electro-mag rod so Zack stayed as close to him as possible. Though it resulted in Reno biting him numerous times and using the kind of dirty fighting that told him this guy had once been a street kid.

Meanwhile Tifa was holding up well against Rude and was even beginning to gain the advantage. She was beautiful, dealing swift and powerful blows as she maneuvered her athletic body to deliver her well perfected skills. Sparing more brief glances then he dared Zack felt a rush pride, yet another emotion to add to his list of misplaced feelings for this girl.

Reno began to tire and they both knew he would not be able to keep up with Zack's enhanced stamina for much longer. What he did next was nothing short of despicable, disengaging from Zack he propelled himself towards Aerith who had watched the brawl in a panic. She let out a small yelp of terror and Zack quickly dove to defend her. The move however had been a decoy and Reno sharply changed directions before Zack could react. Lunging towards the preoccupied Tifa he drove his electro-mag rod beneath her rib cage. She let out a sickening scream as a crackle of electricity sent her body crashing to the ground.

"TIFA!"

Zack saw red, drawing the buster sword from his back he made to swing for both Turks, no longer caring for the consequences. Before the buster sword could rip through the train carriage walls the large four-point shuriken Rekka crashed against his blade.

"Zack! stop!" Cissnei ordered

"Wha' in the fuck is goin' on in ere"

Barret came storming through the carriage door, gun arm held high with Biggs and Wedge close behind.

"Ciss, you arrived just in time, looks like we got us a big haul yo"

Reno and Rude both moved again for Zack but Cissnei turned and stepped between him and them.

"Ciss?"

There was a long intense pause, the deciding moment as to whether or not Cissnei was truly on their side. When she didn't move, for a brief moment Zack began to think she had changed her mind and she would turn on them. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.

"I'm sorry guys"

Zack not only felt relief but also pity at the pain in her voice and the look of hurt that briefly spread across both the other Turks faces.

"So that's how it is ey? .. ya' gonna go play the hero?"

"Reno I.."

"It's cool yo, do what ya gotta do, but you know the next time we meet we won't be able to let ya'll go again"

Both Turks turned to leave and only Zack's enhanced hearing would have picked up on the short heart breaking sob that left Cissnei's voice.

Reno paused before leaving the compartment, "Remember Ciss, no matter what you'll always be one of the Turks an don't you forget it darlin'", he left the carriage.

"Be safe", were Rude's first words he had spoken as he also took his leave.

The brotherly compassion in both their voices shocked Zack. Perhaps there really was honor among thieves after all.

Barret moved towards Cissnei, "Yo I errr, I guess I was..."

"I don't wanna hear it right now!"

Cissnei's voice sounded close to tears as she jerked away and marched back to the other compartment.

Zack dashed over to Tifa who was unconscious on the floor, he made to inspect the injury she had taken beneath the ribs. Before he could raise the blackened and slightly burnt crop top she wore she bolted awake and quickly pulled away.

"It's fine! just a small bruise I'll be ok"

"Teef your hurt! you were unconscious, at least let Aerith.."

"No! Zack please, I'm fine, honestly"

"I don't mean to interrupt, I actually managed to delay the signal but we only got a minute before the next search", he nodded to Jessie in response.

Tifa let him and Barret help her to her feet and they all moved to join Cissnei in the other carriage. They would arrive pretty soon and disturbingly things were already not going to plan.

* * *

**Chapter 6 Part 2- Painfully adapt**

Two more guards fell as Rekka cut through the air, they fought their way through the station as numerous armed guards rushed to attack. Barret hailed bullets at oncoming attackers while Zack cut a path from the platform.

Catching Rekka Cissnei slashed at another guard with less control and more aggression than usual. The encounter with Reno and Rude had cut her deeper than she thought it would. The feeling that she had betrayed the only family she had and their hurt yet caring responses had made her want to cry. She despised the feeling and now all she wanted to do was fight and forget.

Hurling Rekka over the shoulder of Wedge who was now gently supporting Tifa she took out another guard.

"Thanks Cissnei, guess I'm kinda regretting your cooking now Teef", Wedge wheezed.

Aerith meanwhile channeled a lightning one spell at an attacking turret that fired at them. Cissnei briefly noted the above average potency of the spell for such a low-level materia, Aerith clearly had a strong affinity with magic.

Jessie had tried to help but on numerous occasions Zack or Biggs had to intervene to help her out. Cissnei picked up on the look of frustration and self-hatred on her face every time she was unable to overcome an assailant. She would have to remember to give Jessie some combat training after all this.

Cissnei continued to bring down guard after guard and at one point she ended up back to back with Barret as they started to become surrounded.

"Yo! I tried sayin' that I errr... ya' know with wha' I said bout ya' bein' scum an all... I mean tha' didn't look easy ditchin' those foo's back there... wha' I'm sayin' is"

He sighed shaking his head

"I'm sorry"

She turned to him in surprise, she hadn't known Barret for long but knew a sorry from him was about as rare as a gold Chocobo. While taken off guard an attack aimed for her head came from behind, Barret quickly pushed her aside, grabbed the guard by the collar and hurled him into an iron fence 20 feet away. She nodded to him in acknowledgement which he reciprocated.

Feeling slightly better and less of an outcast she continued fighting off the remaining guards as the group battled their way out the station.

* * *

**Chapter 6 Part 3- Painfully adapt**

They were all in pretty bad shape as they made their way to the rendezvous point through the cobbled streets of a deserted industrial park. The SNN studios loomed in the distance, a tower like structure with an array of giant satellite dishes pointing skyward, of course the giant red Shinra logo emblazoned the front.

Nearing their destination Zack scanned over the group to find that Tifa had fallen behind, she had insisted on not being helped or carried the entire way. She even refused healing until they were all somewhere safe.

"Keep moving guys and get healed up"

Turning he jogged back towards Tifa, as he drew closer her walking began to zig-zag and she looked incredibly feint. From the hit she had taken from Reno's weapon it was amazing she had made it this far on her own two feet, regardless of her objections now he was going to carry her.

Looking up at him she stumbled to a stop, panic struck him at the sight of her deathly pale and perspiring face. Her eyes began to wilt as her body swayed.

"Tifa!"

Sprinting he just managed to catch her before her head hit the pavement, he kicked himself for being so stupid to let her go along with putting on a brave face. He should have forced her to allow Aerith to heal her. Taking Tifa in his arms he looked down at her delicate form, seeming so fragile for someone capable of fighting the way she could. Brushing a stray strand of dark brown hair from her face he simply sat staring at her for a time before remembering she was injured. Gently taking the hem of her crop top he pulled it up over the soft skin of her abdomen. He winced at what he saw, biting down so hard he tasted blood, the skin where the electro-mag rod had touched was black and burnt, surrounding it a dark swollen purple bruise began to spread. But it wasn't that which made him despair the most and now he realized why she hadn't let anyone see her injury. There was a vicious long red scar across the top of her stomach that continued up into her top, a mark caused by Sephiroth's Masamune.

Absent-mindedly he traced his fingers along the scar as he burned with anger and sorrow. She opened her eyes but made no move to hide from him this time. Contact with her body made his heart tie in knots and he felt her shudder under the touch of his fingers. A gloved hand lightly closed over his.

"What is this Zack?" she whispered softly

"By the looks of it a pretty nasty bruise and a burn we need to get healed up"

"No.. I mean what is this?" her hand gently squeezed his pressed flat against her stomach.

He knew what she meant but he couldn't answer it, he had been wrestling with so many confusing emotions and memories for the last few days that the only way he had coped was by shutting them out. Unfortunately and most painfully of all this had also meant Aerith and he felt terrible for it.

"Tifa.. I can't right now... all I know is I need to keep you safe".

She nodded lightly, "and you make me feel that Zack".

"Let's go get you fixed up", his voice was strained as he tried to keep it together.

Lifting her into a fireman's carry he made for the rendezvous point, she made no objection as she gently tucked her head beneath his chin. He couldn't resist holding her close, feeling this mysterious connection between them growing stronger.

"Hey Aerith, by any chance can you heal it so it leaves a scar? that would look totally awesome", Biggs had taken a nasty slash to the cheek and neck.

She smiled lightly as her hands glowed green with energy, the wound closed up exceptionally well with no scar.

"Nawwww now I ain't gonna look badass like Zack"

Aerith looked drained, from the looks of the others minus Barret they had all been healed up by her and she had cast a lot of lightning attacks back at the station. Taking over a small blue MP ether he placed it in her small hand which he held on to longer than necessary. She looked up at him questioningly, he answered with a meaningful stare which he hoped would go some way to express the longing and regret he was feeling that they had not spent more time alone. She must have understood as she smiled and returned a small nod before drinking the potion and moving on to heal the remaining two.

"Quit ya' fussin' girl, I ain't hurt"

"Barret you've been shot"

"I've 'ad worse, go see ta' Teef"

"Please Barret, do it for me, It'll make me feel better"

The big man fidgeted under Aerith's pleading stare and Zack couldn't help but smile.

"Ite'.. but jus' cos ya' asked so damn nice"

As he watched Aerith fix Barret and then Tifa she looked breath takingly beautiful. He had seen restore materia in use countless times but this was different, it was as if the tenderness and care she showed seemed to be the actual magic on display here. He selfishly cursed the mako in his body for already repairing most of his wounds.

Cissnei who had not spoken since leaving the station hopped of a nearby wall she was perched on.

"We should get moving"

Silently the rest of the group climbed to their feet, staring up at the ominous SNN tower they moved in grim procession toward's their destination.

* * *

**Chapter 6 Part 4- Painfully adapt**

"Hurry! hurry! hurry!"

"Thats not helping Biggs... Neither is that!"

Wedge started tugging at one of the metal pauldrons she wore making Jessie begin to panic as she typed furiously. Cissnei on the other console was doing the same.

Just like the security forces that had responded to the security breach they had massively underestimated the measures Shinra had put in place to defend the network. They were atop the SNN tower directly beneath the three giant satellite dishes. Barret, Zack and Tifa were holding off an onslaught of troops that pushed up the stairwell.

"I can't get past this new firewall, how did we miss this!" Cissnei shrieked

She too was hitting security wall after wall.

"This'll take years to crack! who in the hell could design something like this!" Jessie cried in frustration slamming her fists against the monitor.

Cissnei turned towards her as something clearly dawned on her.

"I know who, wait here!" grabbing her PHS the Turk dashed to the other side of the platform where her call would not be drowned out by the loud explosions that were going off.

Jessie turned her attention to the fighting, watching the way the others worked seamlessly together anyone would think they had trained with each other for years. Zack and Tifa flowed wordlessly around one another, even combining joint attacks to bring down larger enemies. Both knowing when to duck or withdraw as a series of large explosive shots came from Barret.  
Aerith supported from the rear with long-range healing spells and the occasional lightning attack on any tricky machinery Shinra mobalized against them.

The same feeling she felt at the train station returned, the feeling of being completely useless to help her teammates.

_Barret was right about what he said back then, I am a liability._

Her self-loathing tirade was cut short as Cissnei returned. Moving to a console Jessie watched in amazement as after a number of precise key strokes she brought down the firewall and the video file began to send.

_Transmission progress: 1%_

"You did it!"

Cissnei rushed over to the others.

"We need to leave, now!"

"Ain't no way were going down that way" Zack replied

They had started to become overwhelmed and they had been left with no choice but to have Barret blow the stairwell, turning they made for the fire escape.

"LOOK OUT!" Zack grabbed Barret back just in time as a blisteringly hot blue laser exploded into their intended escape route and rocked the entire building.

"Whoah! thanks Porcupine. Wha' in the fuck was tha'?"

A loud screech filled the sky before a monstrous mechanical bird like structure flew into view.

"Guard hawk! he warned me about this" Cissnei called

"He? who's he?" Tifa questioned

"The guy who helped me take the firewall down"

"Zack what do we do?!" Aerith panicked

"I got a feeling this fella is gonna make that decision for us"

The machine folded its wings and dropped out of the sky at them like a bullet. The group scattered, diving in every direction as it crashed into the platform. Savage metal talons wrenched through the steel flooring and two turrets mounted on the tip of both wings open fired on them.

Zack was back on his feet in a flash, cutting bullets out of the air he charged and swung the buster sword at the guard hawk, cutting deep into the right wing. Razor sharp metal fashioned into a beak pecked for him as he continued to hack and slash away at it. A glancing blow from Rekka enforced by a hail of bullets from Barret threw the attacking head back hard.

"It's weak at the head" Cissnei shouted to the others

As if the machine could hear her, a thick armored plate snapped around its head in time to stop a grenade thrown by Biggs from doing any damage. A series of missiles launched from the underside of the hawks uninjured wing and bombarded them in response. Jessie felt the wind knocked out of her as she was thrown across the platform.

Recovering, Tifa swiftly sprinted towards Zack, preempting her plan Zack provided the flat of the buster sword as a platform to jointly propel her up to the guard hawks head. Wedging a thick red boot into a groove beneath the plate she somersaulted backwards with a powerful kick, snapping the plate open to expose the head again.

Sensing the danger the machine violently thrashed both its wings, Zack and Tifa were caught in the gust and were sent careering in each direction. Barret somehow managed to catch Tifa before she hit the floor and inevitably broke most of the bones in her body, but Zack was not so lucky. He hit the platform hard but fortunately his enhancements kept anywhere near as much damage from being taken.

"Zack!" Aerith screamed as she ran for him, if it hadn't been for another incredibly accurate shot from Rekka biting back the talon that stuck for her, Aerith would have been ripped to pieces.

_Transmission progress: 28%_

Charging a big shot Barret boomed with rage "I'm gettin' tired o' this hunka' crap!"

The incredible blast knocked the guard hawk off-balance as shards of metal from its back showered the air, it stumbled to regain its balance until it was near the platforms edge.

Seeing an opening Tifa Zig-Zag'd with phenomenal agility through a shower of bullets aimed at her from the wing turrets. Zack reappeared from the side and with an enhanced jump leaped 30 feet in the air to slash clean through one of the turrets. Cissnei hurled Rekka at the opposite turret and cut its barrel clean off.

Given her opening Tifa took a running jump and connected a flying kick squarely against the center chest plate of the machine. The intention was to get it over the edge, Zack had maimed one of the wings so badly it couldn't possibly still fly. Recoiling from the attack it teetered on the edge but just about held on as it started to anchor its talons into the steel platform.

Aerith launched a smartly placed lightning attack causing it to temporarily lose operation, the talons unclenched with a deafening scrape of metal and it tumbled off the edge and out of sight.

"Oh right!", "Na' tha what I'm talkin' bout!", "good job guys!"

Their celebration was short-lived as the sound of troops moving through the stairwell reached them. They had managed to install a temporary platform to get across the gap Barret had created. They were trumped, trapped on top of the tower with no other means to escape and no hope of fighting off the force coming for them.

_Transmission progress: 39%_

_T_ he sound of wings beating against the air made them all freeze.

"You have got to be kidding me" Zack groaned

Guard hawk reappeared with the sound of clacking metal as a series of repairs happened across its back, wing and head. Rising high up in the air a blue glow in its eyes slowly got stronger and stronger. The group readied for the attack but to their surprise it unleashed a laser of energy at one of the three large satellite dishes instead. The explosion was enormous and the building trembled as metal cascaded down around them. Jessie threw her arms over her face as a large sheet of metal threatened to crush her but it was cut clean in half by Zack's lightning quick movements overhead.

_Transmission progress: 55%_

Guard hawk flew towards another one of the dishes.

"Its trying to stop the transmission!" Cissnei cried

"How do we destroy it?" Tifa pressed urgently

"We can't"

The entire group turned to stare at her, during the fight Jessie had closely watched the machine, fascinated with the technology behind such a thing. Every time it was attacked the guard hawk simply adapted itself to the threat. Looking closely at it now the armored head plate had been re-fixed absent the groove that Tifa had exploited. The wing that Zack had slashed at was fixed and reinforced as well as the edges rounded so his blade would now glance off the side. It would be hard to see with the untrained eye but Jessie recognized the back had been repaired with ballistic plates and tightly woven fibers that would spread and soften heavy blasts like the one Barret had used against it.

"It adapts itself to everything we use against it. Aerith use lightning again"

She obliged, as expected the spell struck the target but a series of new conductors and resistors throughout the machine channeled and diminished the spell rendering it useless.

"So what can we do!", even Tifa was becoming hysterical.

_Transmission progress: 67%_

The tower shook violently and many of them lost their balance as guard hawk sent yet another satellite dish up in flames.

"If it takes out that last dish the transmission won't send!", to see even Cissnei out of ideas crushed all hope for the group.

"Cissnei, what about that contact of yours who helped us, can't he do something?!" Jessie tried with one last doubtful hope.

"No, he didn't build this thing".

Guard hawk turned its attention to the last satellite dish and despite the futile attempts from Barret, Cissnei and Aerith to damage it, nothing they did could stop it.

With troops at their backs, an unstoppable monstrosity above and no hope for escape, the reality that they had failed seemed inevitable.

_Transmission progress: 80%_


	7. A hero born

**Chapter 7 Part 1- A hero born**

**_Guard hawk turned its attention to the last satellite dish and despite the futile attempts from Barret, Cissnei and Aerith to damage it, nothing they did could stop it._ **

**_With troops at their backs, an unstoppable monstrosity above and no hope for escape, the reality that they had failed seemed inevitable._ **

**_Transmission progress: 80%_ **

Staring numbly at the others Jessie found herself awe-struck. Even now when all was lost, her family were looking skyward, weapons drawn with determined and resolute faces, refusing to lie down and give up.

Drawing strength from them her hands clenched into tight fists, if they weren't willing to give up than neither was she!, she was not going to let them fail!. She was tired of feeling useless and incompetent.

Guard hawk beat its mechanical wings and made for the final satellite dish, as it flew close enough to the platform Jessie saw her opportunity. Moving as fast as her legs could go she sprinted for the edge, heart thundering in her chest.

"JESSIE!"

A chorus of voices screamed her name.

She could hear Zack in pursuit to stop her but she was too far ahead. With one last final sprint Jessie connected her boot with the platforms edge and pushed off as hard as she could. Sharp winds whipped at her face as she fell through empty air. Passing beneath her just in time she landed hard against hawk guards back. Slamming against the large metal plate she had the wind knocked clean out of her, suppressing her shout of pain as a jagged edge slashed her across the top of her leg.

The high pitched scream of the wind combined with the roar of the incredible power fueling the metal hawk was defeaning. Gritting her teeth she felt the plate bite into her fingers as she held on as hard as possible when the flight trajectory began to hitch. She would have less than half a minute now before it destroyed the last satellite dish.

Her mind worked furiously, what made this machine tick? how could it be stopped?. It was obviously taking programmed emergency measures to prevent a rogue transmission from being sent. But how did it know that one was being sent?

_A signal!_

It must be linked to the network and receiving a signal from the monitor that it had been hijacked. Pulling out the signal jammer she had used to block the security signal on the train network she frantically looked around for a receiver. If it was receiving a signal there had to be an external receiver somewhere, somewhere it would take extra special care to protect.

_The head!_

Waiting until it came to a stop Jessie clawed her way up the hawks back, ignoring the hot sting running down her leg. The entire machine began to reverberate and rumble as it began to channel the final laser attack. She felt her hair stand on end from the static in the air as the raw energy began to build, the fumes made her gag violently.

_Transmission progress: 93%_

Trying to stay focused, her streaming eyes found the small blinking red light typical to that of a receiver. Reaching her arm through the tight joint of the plate she strained as hard as possible to connect the jammer. Screaming with exertion she felt her shoulder sharply impinge as the device finally connected.

The exceptional amount of power that had been mere seconds from being catastrophically released died down immediately. Jessie collapsed on her back completely exhausted with relief, breathing heavily as every inch of her body screamed with pain.

_Transmission complete._

* * *

**Chapter 7 Part 2- A hero born**

_My name is Zack Fair, previous first class SOLDIER and second general in command to the Shinra army. There was once a time that just like you I trusted in Shinra, believed they were making the world a better place, a safer place. The Shinra I joined used its power to help people, where SOLDIER believed in honor and we were the heroes. After four years of imprisonment and torture, I see that that Shinra I believed in was a lie. They are responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent lives including the massacre's at Mt. Corel and Nibelheim. They are killing the planet for their own selfish greed while you suffer in poverty and fear. SOLDIER has become nothing more than their band of hired thugs, a shadow of what we once were, what we could have been._

_But now, those things are going to change and AVALANCHE will be the ones to change them. If you want the Shinra that I once believed in to become a reality then stand with us. Anyone who doesn't get in our way will not be harmed by us and no lives will be lost... except for four. For your unforgivable crimes, Scarlett, Heideggar, Hojo and President Shinra, I suggest you run and run far because..._

_I'm coming for you._

The screen went blank and the board room deadly silent. The drained and pale faces of the executives glanced at one another stricken with fear.

"Ho.."

The president's shaky voice caught in his throat.

"How is he still alive?"

Scarlett catapulted out of her chair hysterically

"HOW DID THEY HACK OUR NETWORK!?"

In the corner of the room Reeve Tuetsi turned to stare out of the window, concealing a hidden smile across his face.

_How indeed_

* * *

**Chapter 7 Part 3- A hero born**

The sound of gunfire and crashing blades reminded her they were still not out of the woods yet. Shakily climbing to her feet still atop the hawk guard which was now hovering in the air she looked to see the others still down on the platform. They were furiously fighting off hordes of Shinra units, further back Jessie could see they were bringing up heavy artillery guns. There was no possible way they could fight off that many of them. While scrambling for an escape plan Jessie felt her PHS vibrate in her pocket.

_My PHS!_

Hit with an idea she grabbed for the device, flicking it open her eyes quickly glanced over the text message that was open.

_Sexy and a terrorist. Can't wait for our date to find out what other little secrets your hiding. -R_

Despite herself she couldn't help a small smile cross her lips or the flutter in her stomach at being called sexy. Shaking of the distraction she connected her PHS to the jammer device and configured her gps to signal a target point nearer to the platform. She could have cried for joy when the hawk machine lurched forward towards the destination.

"GET ON!" she screamed above the noise

Wide eyed in disbelief the group disengaged from the fight and climbed on to the guard hawk. No time to think she quickly re-signalled the target on the gps to any random spot outside of Midgar, anywhere but here.

As the hawk took off the Shinra troops open fired on them with heavy artillery and explosives. They were violently thrown around as even the hawks impressive resilience and ability to repair could not hold against the sheer fire power being used against it. It would not withstand much more before they were blown out of the sky. Waiting just a few more seconds to gain a bit more distance from the tower Jessie took out the detonation switch of the octanitrocubane bomb that was planted on the tower. They were still considerably closer than comfortable but left with no other choice she hit the switch.

The sheer magnitude of the explosion would have been breath-taking if it weren't for the ear splitting blast and incinerating heat that barraged them. The Shinra News Network studio was swallowed in a blinding orange mushroom cloud and what little power was left in the damaged guard hawk disappeared as they rapidly began to descend.

Jessie realized they weren't going to make it out of the city, clinging on tightly the guard hawk coasted at an alarming speed for several minutes across the city. She just about heard Zack's voice cry out above the screaming wind.

"HOLD ON!"

The impact violently rattled her body and she almost blacked out as the violent ride of twisiting and scrapping metal across the earth pummeled her. Crashing into something and grinding them to an abrubt halt the final impact sent her flying a short distance on to her back. Hitting the floor reminded her of the injuries to her shoulder and leg, right now though she was just grateful to be back on the earth.

A cloud of smoke and dust swirled around her as she laid there on the hard floor staring up at the plate above, too exhausted to move. As it settled her blurred and smoke irritated eyes looked around, they had landed in what she recognised as the sector 7 train graveyard. A hand appeared in her vision, Zack was standing above her with a big grin on his soot covered face.

"So how does it feel to be a hero?", he pulled her painfully to her feet, all the others were standing around with the same pleased looks on their faces. They all looked terrible, covered in black and dirt with another impressive round of fresh injuries. No one seemed too badly injured from the collision except Wedge who looked like he'd twisted his ankle pretty badly. And yet they were all staring at her with happy smiles.

"A hero? me?"

The group broke into cheers.

"Hell yeah you are" Wedge cheered

"That was so cool Jess, like action movie cool!" Biggs whooped, slapping her across the shoulder, making her hiss in pain.

"Wuh I tell ya' foo's?!, ma' girl Jessie heres a genius"

Aerith took her hand and gave her infamous heart warming smile "thankyou Jessie"

Cissnei nodded to her with an impressed look on her face "you'd make an amazing Turk"

She blushed at the rain of praise and affection they gave her. At the same time she couldn't resist the feeling of elation, was she really a hero like Zack? she'd always dreamed of being one but never believed she was strong enough.

Then she saw Tifa, standing with her hands on her hips, not looking too pleased.

"Do you realize you could have got yourself killed?" she snapped angrily, "do you realize how scared you made me?", her stern voice began to waver as her expression began to soften.

Finally Tifa's resolve dropped, she let a short whimper that was a mix between a cry, a laugh and relief as she ran at Jessie and grabbed her in a strong loving hug.

"Don't you ever do something like that to me again Jessie"

"I'm sorry Teef... Teef... Teef your boobs are crushing me now"

There was a round of laughter among the group before they fell into more ecstatic celebration.

"I can't believe we really did it!"

"That was totally insane! Zack you gotta teach some of those moves to me man"

"D'ya feel tha' ya' Shinra rats?! tha's jus' a taster o' whats ta' come!"

Zack had taken Aerith in an intimate embrace, "I'm really proud of you Aerith" he gently whispered in her ear. Jessie oversaw the scene and almost weld up, they were beautiful together and a part of her envied the thought of having someone that close.

She hadn't even realised she had pulled out her phs and stared at the message she had been sent from Reno. She firmly flipped her phone closed in annoyance, he had hurt Tifa and she hated Turks... well accept for Cissnei... she didn't know what she felt anymore.

The sound of a guns safety catch being audibly taken off made the entire group jump alert. The pistol was pointed at Zack, Barret made to raise his gun arm at the wielder but in the blink of an eye a second gun was skillfully unholstered, warning him not to try it. Such a simple movement had the power to tell them this guy was not to be messed with.

Zack took one step forward towards the man.

"It's good to see you again Tseng."

* * *

**Chapter 7 Part 4- A hero born**

Tseng had been walking back from Aerith's house through sector 7 when he saw the flaming machine careening across the sky. He had been gently interrogating Elmyra Gainsborough on Aerith's whereabouts, the women was surprisingly tactful at not giving any information away. He had seen Zack Fair's broadcast and now with Aerith being missing he began to feel panicked, a feeling exceptionally rare to him and he found it disturbing.

Not only was she now involved with terrorism, the call had also come in that they were to apprehend the ancient. He had feared this day for a long time, Tseng had spent years making excuses and throwing the president off about bringing her in but now that time was up. With professor Hojo demanding his specimen, the mako crisis at its peak and Zack's reappearance he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Watching the machine fall across the sky he tracked its crash site to the train graveyard not far from him. He now had two pistols drawn at Fair and Wallace as he desperately tried to keep his turmoil of emotions from showing.

"It's good to see you again Tseng"

"You've caused more problems than you care to realise Zack"

"And you've ignored more of Shinra's crimes over the years than the man I thought you were would. How could you let this happen Tseng? how could you bury you head in the sand like this?".

Zack's words made the corner of his mouth twitch.

_You don't realise just how much I've done._

His eyes flicked over the rest of the party, when his eyes met with Cissnei's he had to check to see that someone had not snuck up on him and drove a knife through his chest.

They didn't need to exchange words, holding one another's gaze they spoke more than a thousand words could. Cissnei was the first to drop her eyes, staring at her downcast form he could once more see the small vunerable girl he had raised like a daughter.

If things weren't yet difficult enough Aerith approached him, unfazed by the weapons he had pointed at them. As she drew close he knew he couldn't lose face and let her near, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to point the gun at her.

"Tseng please, come with us, I know you know what Shinra are doing is wrong"

When her hands gently closed around his holding the pistols it was if his arms lost all strength as they lowered to the ground. She held his hands in hers, his last line of defense was the emotionless mask he still managed to maintain as he stared down at her.

"I know you, you're a good person Tseng, please help us stop this.", the raw un-masked emotion in the gentle girls words and face took down his last barrier.

His entire life had been spent surrounded by people hiding and disguising their true feelings including his own. Seeing this honesty made him realise he was tired, tired of always hiding and for the briefest of moments he considered her proposal.

Zack stepped close behind Aerith and placed a hand on her shoulder, Tseng's eyes flicked to Zack's hand which was discreetly grasping the hilt of his sword. He felt a pit of rage boil up inside of him at the notion of Zack trying to protect Aerith against him. Zack had not been the one to protect Aerith since she was a child. Zack had not been the one to put his neck on the line for years to keep her from Shinra. Zack had not been there to pick up the pieces when he disappeared. It was him, it was always him and now this guy planned to take that from him as well as Cissnei.

Jerking his hands out of Aerith's grasp he stepped back and snapped his weapons back up.

"Tseng! please, please don't do this" Aerith pleaded.

He struggled to keep the pistols level as he shook with anger.

"Your coming with me" he aimed at Zack.

"No Tseng! please!" tears were beginning to roll down Aerith's face, he felt another stab of pain at the sight. He had always been the one to dry them, not to cause them.

"Ta' hell he is!" Barret growled raising his gun at him stepping forward.

Zack put his hand up to stop the man.

"It's ok, I want to meet with Rufus"

_So Cissnei told them about Rufus._

_"_ Zack are you crazy!" Tifa exclaimed

"It's alright he won't try anything, our interests are the same, for now at least anyway", Zack turned back towards him, "Tomorrow, meet me back here at mid-day and then take me to him".

Tseng swung his other gun that had been aimed at Wallace to point them both at Zack. An action to tell him that things were not going to be done on his terms.

"Stop playing games Tseng, we both know your not going to shoot me"

Tseng instantly fired a shot, the bullet past barely a centimetre by Zack's head. The rest of his team jumped in alarm but Zack didn't even flinch in the slightest.

"Tomorrow at mid-day" Tseng confirmed dryly.

Turning he made to leave before Aerith's tearful voice spoke once more making him pause.

"Please don't go Tseng... I don't want to lose you"

He wanted to turn back, but a tormenting voice in his head kept telling him she didn't need him anymore.

Pulling out the small box from his jacket pocket he held the 89 letters that Aerith had given him for Zack.

"These won't be needed anymore", his voice was colder than even he thought it would be.

Dropping the box on the floor he strode away, blocking out the quiet sob that came from Aerith.


	8. Harsh games

**Chapter 8 Part 1- Harsh games**

"An then.. an then when Aerishhh came flyin in frew tha' air... with.. with... the most giantist lightning... like ever, oh man tha' was so mazin"

Hearing her name Aerith turned to see a drunk Biggs cheerily regaling the days events to Tifa, Jessie and Cissnei, each re-telling had gradually become more flamboyantly exaggerated than the last. Like her they all had huge smiles across their faces, in fact no one had stopped smiling and laughing all evening and she could feel her jaw beginning to ache. The whole group was merrily celebrating in seventh heaven and despite the painful encounter with Tseng earlier that day, even Aerith felt in high spirits.

"Thanks Biggs, It was only a lighting one attack though and I sure didn't fly"

Biggs confused frown was comical.

"Really? Oh.. I thor ya' did, I know Jessie sure did!"

Jessie was biting back a laugh as Biggs turned and squinted at her like he was trying to identify which of the two Jessie's he was likely seeing was real. A satisfied grin of victory spread across his face when he picked correctly and slumped a hand on her shoulder.

"I gotta say sumin', ya' like a sister ta me Jess an I'm... an I'm so proud of ya'. I'm proud of all of ya''"

His voice trailed of into a high-pitched whimper and he plonked his head against Tifa's shoulder for comfort, obviously transitioning to the emotional drunk stage. Although everyone was grinning with barely contained laughter his mood was infectious and a number of cheery eyes began to glaze over at his affectionate words. Even Cissnei seemed affected but it was hard to tell as she quickly grabbed another shot of tequila and threw it down.

"Damn it porcupine, ya' got holla' legs ah sumin?'"

"Hey B, how about we call it a draw?"

"Aw hell na', just cos' ya' know ya' can't win"

"I... don't feel... so good..."

After much debate, Wedge, Barret and Zack were now engaged in a competition to see who could eat the most. Surprisingly the self-named "roly-poly" Wedge was the first to slump against the table after only managing to clear three-quarters of the doughnuts on his plate. Barret had turned green quite some time ago but through sheer pride and a considerable number of Tifa's seventh heaven cocktails had refused to be beaten by Zack who sat smiling with an empty plate.

Aerith grimaced as Barret painfully stuffed the last doughnut in his mouth.

"Boom...! wha'...wha' I tell ya! only a foo be thinkin' they can beat me!", Barret cheered in slurred drunken victory, obviously not realizing he was now only just drawing with Zack.

The dull thud of Barret's head against the table signaled the end of the competition as tears of laughter rolled down everyone elses face.

"Guess we might as well finish it off?", Aerith shuddered as Tifa thumbed at the second near empty tequila bottle on the table.

"Wow! where'd all the tequila go?" Jessie hooted

All three women turned to Cissnei who just so happened to pause with a shot glass mid tilt against her lips.

"What?", Cissnei chimed innocently with a gulp, laying the glass back down looking embarassed.

"I've been a barmaid for 3 years now Cissnei and most men twice your size are usually under the table after drinking what you've gone through!" Tifa laughed in amazement.

"What can I say?, I once spent five months in a snowed-in cabin on the northern continent with Reno and Rude."

"Five months stuck with Reno? the thought of it just makes me wanna drink!" Tifa poured out four shots and Aerith shivered as one of the viles of toxid liquid was slid across to her.

"I think I'll pass thankyou", her last attempt at a tequila shot had ended with a rather embarassing episode of violent spluttering. She was about as experianced with alcohol as she was with embarking on bombing missions.

"Come on pinky, one more won't kill ya" Jessie giggled.

_Oh god, please don't let that name catch on_

Luckily her saviour bounced across and kicked himself onto an empty stool next to her, he would save her from the ghastly drink. It could have been the alcohol but she immediatly found the courage to reach out to Zack under the table and entwine her fingers through his. At first he seemed taken by surprise but returned the hold with a spine tingling stare. She could never get tired of those beautiful eyes.

"ZACK!" Biggs boomed across the table still snuggling against Tifa's arm who winced at the volume.

"You alright Biggs? you got tequila in your eyes or something?"

Zacks words must have been a blur to Biggs who went on to stare dreamily into space. Probably day dreaming about a significantally more dramatised version of the day's events.

"So what's going on here then!?" Zack barked in mock reprimand as he scanned the table.

"Their trying to make me drink poisonous acid!", he would rescue her.

"Tastes good to me" Cissnei chimed in as down her drink went.

"Well... gotta do what you gotta do"

"ZACK FAIR! your supposed to be my bodyguard you traitor!" she pinched the side of his leg playfully, alcohol was making her very touchy feely.

"When I accepted the duty I was thinking the job would be more along the lines of protection from large evil corporations as opposed to small concentrated beverages"

Aerith pouted at him, "Meanie!"

"Well pinko! bottoms up" Jessie threw down her drink with a sharp hiss and Tifa followed like she was drinking a refreshing glass of water.

With a quivering hand Aerith reluctantly lifted the drink to her lips, surely it would be sightly more tolerable this time around?

_Nope_

The vile drink scorched down her throat and set off her gag reflex and yet another round of coughing fits.

"Oh Aerith what are we gonna do with you" Jessie laughed while assisting Zack in patting her on the back.

"There's still our ladies night out remember" Tifa pointed out.

"Ladies night?" Cissnei questioned, holding the final bottle upside down as the few remaining drops of tequila dripped out into her half full glass.

"Yeah, me, you, Teef and Aerith are hitting the town one night"

"Sounds interesting" Cissnei remarked suspiciously.

"Sounds expensive" Zack interjected to recieve a pair of elbows to the ribs from Aerith and Jessie.

The rumbling sound of an aircraft engine made them turn to see Barret snoring against the table louder than Aerith could believe humanly possible.

"How on earth do you sleep with that!?" she chuckled to Zack.

"With great effort, two pillows and a lifetime of sleeping in group army quarters".

"Mmmm sleep" Biggs drooled sleepily.

"Stop slobering on me!", Tifa flicked his forhead.

Jessie pointed to Barret and Wedge who's out of unison snoring made the room buzz with one long continuous drone

"Looks like they won't be making it upstairs tonight, better go get some blankets", Jessie giggled as she stood up with a stumble.

"I'll help you"

Aerith cringed, offering to help was so second nature to her that it came out on instinct. Now she would have to let go of Zack's hand which was pleasantly stroking the back of hand. Reluctantly climbing to her feet she locked stares with Zack once more before finally following Jessie upstairs and into the main bedroom.

"With those two being downstairs I could bunk with Tifa and Marlene and give Biggs my room you know", grabbing a pile of blankets from the closet, Jessie's statement puzzled her.

"Why?"

"Well... you know, then Zack will have the room to himself and you could go and spend some... alone time"

If the coughing from the tequila shot earlier seemed bad, it was nothing compared to now. She stumbled over her words between fits of spluttering.

"It's not like that!... I mean.. were not like that.. or at that stage yet"

"Really? so what stage are you at?"

Aerith let out a long sigh as she perched down on the nearby bed.

"I've been asking myself the same thing. We did date once a long time ago, at first when he came back I thought we were again".

"So what happened?", Jessie flopped down next to her making the mattress rock.

"I don't know, I think he's interested in someone else"

"Who!?"

She hesitated, she had already said more in absent intoxicated pondering than she wanted to.

"Come on Aerith, tell me!"

"Never mind it's no one, I just don't think after everything that's happened Zack's looking for a relationship right now"

"Rubbish! You know I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me right?"

Knowing Jessie wasn't joking her mind worked on how to go about wording this, she nervously tugged at the material of her dress. As was always her way, Aerith decided just to opt for honesty.

"When we first arrived at the bar I saw them hugging pretty closely, also the way they look at each other and just the way they always seem connected. It makes me think.."

"Wait wait... they? who's they? you do realise Zack's only joking when he tells Marlene she's his girlfriend right?", Jessie quipped sarcastically.

"No, Tifa, it makes me think that him and Tifa might be more than just friends."

Jessie laughed, a little too hysterically for comfort.

"Wait.. are you actually serious?!"

"Haven't you noticed that there's something between them? like how protective Zack gets over her? or how he reacted when Reno hurt her?"

"Of course! but that's obvious! they both lost this Cloud guy, someone who they were both crazy close with. Zack obviously feels responsible and that it's his duty to protect Teef. Also they're both the only two who witnessed what happened to Teef's home and only have each other to really understand what it was like. I think you've got your wires crossed personally."

"Really?"

"definitely! It's nothing like the way Zack looks at you. I think he'd lay down and die if you asked him to".

Jessie's words felt like she had been thrown a life raft after drowning for days.

"Oh Aerith", Jessie's arms wrapped around her, "tell him how you feel".

Appreciating the comforting embrace Aerith didn't realise she had tears in her eyes until she closed them, burying her face into Jessie's soft red hair.

They sat in comfortable silence as Aerith let Jessie's comfort wash over her before she finally spoke.

"That's settled then, I'll get Biggs out so Zack's alone tonight, go talk to him and then hey, you never know where things might go from there".

"JESSIE!"

"Oh come on! you can't tell me you haven't thought about it"

She must have looked like a fish out of water as her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, unable to form the words to deny it.

"I knew it!"

Jessie dashed from the room and returned with a pair of curling tongs.

"What are you doing?"

"Not that you need it but were making you pretty for tonight, and don't think for one second you're wearing those long pink pyjamas of yours".

Aerith was a mixture of feeling surprised, mortified, nervous and yet excited as Jessie's inner girly girl she didn't realise existed tugged her across to the nearby dresser table.

* * *

**Chapter 8 Part 2- Harsh games**

Cissnei breathed in the cool night air, while it wasn't quite as refreshing as the clean air outside of the polluted city she still felt a wave of peaceful relief.

For the first time in her life she had completed a mission and actually felt any kind of accomplishment from it. She had executed years of succesful assignments and despite being told she should feel otherwise, she was always left feeling hollow inside. She had always told herself that the next mission would be different, that taking on something bigger or assassinating an even more dangerous or important target would fill this inner void. It was this desperate reaching that had pushed her to become noticed by the Turks in the first place.

But now she knew it had never been about doing more that was needed to fill this gap, it was about doing something right. Now here, standing on the porch of the seventh heaven bar overlooking the sector 7 slums she finally felt content.

"Cissnei?"

Turning she saw Tifa standing hesitantly in the warm orange doorway of the bar.

"Do you mind?"

Cissnei nodded, no objection to Tifa joining her. Tifa stepped out and leaned over the wooden rail like she was. A comfortable silence hung between them as both women looked out into the peaceful streets, it was ironic how a slum could actually look beautiful.

"I'm sorry Cissnei"

She had expected Tifa would say that.

"It's ok, being a Turk if you'd have trusted me straight away I would have taken you for a fool"

Tifa feintly smiled and breathed a bit easier. Sighing into the night Tifa continued.

"After what happened to my old home, I've just been so filled with hate and anger for everyone and everything connected to Shinra. These days that seems to be most things."

"Makes you start to forget who you are"

Tifa inclined her head towards Cissnei in surprise.

"Yeah"

Another comfortable pause fell between them. Looking at Tifa staring out into the night Cissnei could see a hidden pain in her face as her eyes wandered out into the dark. She was still absently searching for something and Cissnei had a good idea what, or more precisely who. She hesitated wether or not to voice it, it had been on her mind for a while but she didn't want to drag the pain back up. Deciding she no longer wanted to live with concealed regrets she turned to Tifa.

"I'm sorry about Cloud, I failed him the same as I failed Zack. If I'd have found them or got to them before Shinra then he'd still be here."

Tifa's eyes brimmed with moisture, she was unable to voice any words as her gaze flicked between hers and the wooden rail. Cissnei immediatly regretted saying it as she watched the martial artist painfully bite back her emotions.

Turning back to look out into the slums she kicked herself mentally. Then one of Tifa's hands closed over hers that was resting on top of the rail.

"I'm glad you're with us Cissnei. Thankyou"

The endearment meant more to her than Tifa probably realised and she took the time to enjoy the moment. With a final squeeze of Tifa's hand and filled with purpose, Cissnei stepped off the porch and started to head out into the slums. She wasn't going to be making any more mistakes that would cost or risk the lives of any of these people she now held close.

"Where are you going?"

"Today we almost failed because we weren't clued up enough about what Shinra had up their sleeve. If it hadn't of been for Jessie we'd probably all be dead. That's not something I plan on happening again."

She would tear through every contact she had in midgar until she found out every last detail she could about Shinra. With a final nod to Tifa she turned out into the dark streets.

* * *

**Chapter 8 Part 3- Harsh games**

It was almost painful how tightly Aerith's stomach was in knots as she stared up into the pitch black of the room.

Finally convincing herself to move she threw back the covers and jumped to her feet but a rush of fright and adrenaline quickly sat her back down. She couldn't do this, she didn't know how to do this.

Knowing that this was probably the last chance she would have for a long time to be with Zack alone, she got back to her feet once again. Quietly creeping across the floor she left the room.

Hand lightly brushing the wall to navigate through the dark her heart slammed against her chest. Tip toeing down the hallway she felt extremely awkward and self conscious in the black lacey night-dress she had borrowed from Cissnei. The outfit was extra skimpy on her due to being taller than Cissnei, putting the entirety of both her legs on display. There was a number that Tifa had that Aerith really liked but there was no way she could wear anything of Tifa's unless her bust, a great deal of which was now on display, somehow doubled over night.

Her hand gripped the door handle to Zack's room which she quickly removed when her shaking hands caused it to rattle loudly. She considered turning and just going back to her room, telling herself she would look utterly ridiculous to Zack with her body quaking and looking completely awkward like it was.

Taking a deep breath she calmed herself, she needed this, needed to have this time with him, to feel close to him once more. The door silently clicked open and she slipped quietly into the dark room.

Standing with her back pressed against the door she could just about make out Zack's lone sleeping form, he was murmuring in his sleep, probably reliving some unspeakable horror.

Listening to his voice she began to relax and gradually she gained enough courage to slowly cross the room. She was halfway across the room focusing on his words when she froze.

"I promise Tifa..."

Hearing that, the pain she felt that had built up over the last few days amplified ten fold at hearing Tifa's name so affectionately spoken by him. Even in his sleep Zack thought about her and all of Aerith's earlier belief that there was more feeling between Tifa and Zack than just friends returned. She felt stupid to think she had let Jessie lead her into believing otherwise. Hot tears burned at her eyes as she recoiled towards the door.

Seeing him lying there she craved to go over to him, but knowing right now another women and not her was on his mind was breaking her heart. Utterly distraught she left the room and ran back across the hallway to her room where she spent the rest of the night quietly sobbing into her pillow.

* * *

**Chapter 8 Part 4- Harsh games**

The sound of heavy booted footsteps pursued by the smart clop of two pairs of well shined shoes echoed around through the long lavish corridor. Zack's mind was a lot more preoccupied than it should be while being escorted by two Turks. Instead of focusing on the imminent meeting with Rufus Shinra he was instead thinking about the confusing events of this morning.

Aerith hadn't come down from her room all morning until Zack was about to go up and check on her. When she did appear she wouldn't look directly at him and her eyes were red from what looked like a lot crying and a lack of sleep. When he had tried to ask what was wrong she hardly spoke and even recoiled from his touch, something she had never done before.

It had been both painful and alarming, as if a part of his own body was rejecting itself. He nearly hadn't left to meet with Tseng but Aerith insisted she would be fine with Biggs, Wedge and Marlene.

Trying to stay focused he now allowed Tseng and another Turk he had never seen before named Elena escort him through the large mansion belonging to Rufus Shinra. From the numerous times Elena had blabbed valuable information, all of which received a stern glare from Tseng, Zack guessed she was new. Reno and Rude had stayed with Barret, Tifa and a strangely insistent to come Jessie at the entrance. Permitting only Zack to visit the vice president, the encounter had very nearly started a fight.

Coming to a large set of double doors which Zack assumed led to Rufus' office he threw them open and marched in, ignoring Elena's command to wait. The blonde vice president was sat behind a large Kingwood desk speaking on the phone, by the looks of him he could not be much older than Zack. Striding across the rich marble flooring they exchanged glances, a cunning smile spread across the mans face and he continued his phone conversation. The action irritated him, continuing up to the desk he leant across and slammed down the hangup switch. Rufus' eyes flashed with annoyance before changing into a firm and amused stare which he held as he coolly placed down the receiver.

"I'm sure the south Junon A&E department would like to thank you for killing their negotiations for extra funding, congratulations".

"What do you want?"

"Pleased to meet you at last, care for a drink?"

"Quit the games, I'm not here for a chat, why did you send the Turks after me?"

The vice president paused, staring intently at him, looking to analyze him and gleam any detail that he could exploit, Zack gave away nothing. Standing in his neat full white suit, which somehow he managed not to make look tacky, Rufus comfortably moved away from his desk.

"So you're first class Zack Fair, the great general Sephiroth's la.."

"I didn't say I was having an identity crisis, I asked you what you wanted"

Zack knew what Rufus was trying to do, gain control and steer the conversation the way he wanted to, it wasn't going to happen.

"It seems like your going to be rather difficult to get along with Fair, and here was me thinking we could be friends".

The sentence didn't seem like he was even attempting to sound genuine, Zack held back a snarl of frustration. He had to hand it to the guy though, to pace around the office completely at ease like he was with a first class at your back took some confidence not many people had.

"If I was looking for some new friends, Shinra would be the last place I'd look"

"Come now, you can't blame the son for the sins of the father"

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you're a regular angel"

Zack picked up on the soft chuckle from the man who's back was now turned to pour himself a drink, another surprisingly bold move.

"One thing I can assure you is I will be a better option for you than my father"

"I doubt it. Do you plan on tearing down those reactors once you become president?"

"No"

"Then we have a problem"

"A future problem, perhaps. But for now our interests are the same, making me president of Shinra corporation"

"I fail to see how that is something I want"

"You want my father dead? or was your dramatic little broadcast just an empty threat?"

"That's my business"

"That's my father"

"Im afraid the caring son act doesn't quite come across as sincere"

The two men stared hard at one another. He hadn't realised and probably neither had Rufus that they had been slowly stalking around one another in a large circle. The kind of movement that a skilled fighter would use to gauge his opponent, perhaps Rufus was more deadly than Zack had first thought.

"So is this what this is all about? making sure that I top off your old man so you can have your turn at playing god?"

"Partly, as well as make you aware of another potential problem we both have"

Zack's brow creased

"Go on"

"First I need to know your going to deal with my father"

"Like I said, my business"

"Well perhaps this will persuade you"

A brown A4 file appeared in Rufus' hands. Throwing the folder onto the floor a few feet in front of Zack a number of pictures of Aerith spilled out. Zack felt his blood run cold and the instinctive twitch of his hand to reach for the buster sword.

"Unlike my father I don't believe in some fairytale land that only your girlfriend knows the way to. The order has now gone out for her capture and my father won't stop until he has her".

"She's not at her mothers anymore so let him try!" Zack growled, feeling the instinct to protect Aerith rise up in him.

"No, she's at the AVALANCHE base in sector 7"

Zack's eyes widened in shock and this time his hand did not refrain from drawing the buster sword.

"How did you find out!?", the office doors burst open and the guns of both Elena and Tseng snapped onto Zack who had his sword pointed at Rufus. After a tense pause the vice president calmly continued.

"That brings me to my next problem", the fact that Rufus actually stepped closer towards the blade so that it was a mere centimeter from slicing his throat startled Zack.

"The information came in the form of a threat, a threat towards my father. As you can imagine any threat towards him is also a threat towards me."

"Who sent it?"

"We don't know, the note was pinned to the chest of a second class SOLDIER who was found impaled to the door of my father's mansion. At first it was believed to be from you until it gave away the location of AVALANCHE. Whoever it was they were skilled enough to cut through my father's home security force like butter."

The information was deeply disturbing, who could possibly want to strike out against both Shinra and AVALANCHE?. They were two opposite sides of a coin. Even more disturbing still was the fact that whoever they were they had the capacity to infiltrate one of the highest security buildings in Midgar, second to that of the Shinra tower.

"Where's the president now?"

"Since you sent your ever so friendly message he hasn't left the tower, something that's not likely to change with this new mysterious threat on the loose as well".

"Your father knows about the note?!"

Rufus nodded and Zack felt a rush of panic.

"Then he knows where Aerith is?!"

Another nod.

"He's already sent half the Shinra army to cordon off sector 7 and capture the ancient. He was planning to drop the plate on the whole area just to deal with you and AVALANCHE, but with the SNN network down such an expensive publicity stunt was not needed. Instead he plans just to send in the army to execute the entire region."

Rufus had achieved exactly what he had aimed to do with this meeting, sealed his fathers fate. Zack felt the blood drain from his body and he turned to dash for the door in a frenzy. He needed to get back to sector 7 now! Aerith, Biggs, Wedge and Marlene were still there!.

Before he could barge past Elena and Tseng, Rufus shouted to him.

"Zack! you're gonna need this"

The young vice president flicked a card in his direction, catching it the card read 'Keycard 70'.

"Remember Zack, she'll never be safe while he's still alive"

With a dark nod he turned back towards the exit and dashed past Elena, briefly noting that Tseng had already disappeared.


	9. Dark hierarchy

**Chapter 9 Part 1- Dark hierarchy  
**

Standing in the lobby of Rufus' mansion that in itself was larger than any house Jessie had ever been in before, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Barret stood with his arms tightly folded, glaring at the two Turks who at least had the sense to stand on the other side of the room. Though Reno did still seem intent on pushing Barret's buttons by sending him the occasional wink or thumbs up with a devious grin which she tried not to find amusing. Tifa was sat on one of the long black leather sofas nearest to the hallway entrance that Zack had walked down, her face had a constant worried look and Jessie could tell she was carefully straining her hearing to pick up on the sound of any trouble.

"The rooms sound proof yo, chill out, have a drink", Reno had already spent the last five minutes raiding the liquor cabinet. Tifa shot Reno an annoyed glance at the interruption.

"Hey, ya ain't still made about that little zap are ya? bout that, no hard feelin's yo, s'just business"

"Shut ya' mouth foo', don't cha be talkin' ta' none of us"

Barret took a menacing step away from where he had planted himself, refusing to touch any of the furniture in the room like it was poison. Tifa raised her hand to stop him and then went back to listening in futile.

Five more minutes passed. Rude had moved away to look out of one of the impressive fourtyodd foot glass windows and Reno was lounging across another one of the leather sofa's nearest the drinks cabinet. His hand held a drink of brandy probably worth thousands of gil. Jessie couldn't help grinning as he attempted to impersonate a regal connoisseur by swishing the glass in a circular motion and sniffing the contents. She nearly burst into hysterics when his act failed miserably as his face creased in disgust after taking a swig. He then scouted around to see if anyone was watching before slinging rest of the drink into a nearby peace lily plant pot.

After that Reno somehow managed to find himself a tennis ball and had set to throwing it against the wooden panel of a nearby book case as he continued to sprawl across the sofa. This time she was unable to hold back the hysterics as every time the ball hit with a dull thud, Barret's eye twitched with ever-growing annoyance. Walking over to the Turk Jessie caught the ball mid-air with a laugh.

"You're probably gonna make Barret explode in a minute"

Looking up at her from the Sofa, Reno's attractive green eyes lit up.

"I knew ya wouldn't be able to stay away gorgeous"

Jessie couldn't help fidgeting while fixed under his stare, she turned to go back to the wall where she'd been leaning.

"Hey, hey", Reno reached across and grabbed her hand, "Jessie right?"

She made to pull away but he held tight, not that she really put much effort into it.

"Why'd you wanna know?"

"Ya know you're beautiful when you bite your lower lip like that"

She couldn't help feeling her chest flutter and she quickly stopped chewing her lip, something she hadn't realized she'd been doing. Jessie managed to keep up a hostile disguise as she quickly sat down on the sofa opposite Reno, her face was beginning to warm and it felt like she was on display standing in front of his wandering eyes.

"I guess ya don't much like Turks either eh?"

"Who does?"

"Good point, though most people don't go round blowing building's sky-high yo."

Reno still held her hand and he leaned in closer towards her, Jessie's head started to cloud.

"So why ya with this lot? with techno skills like yours you could go far ya know"

Falling into his voice it was as if the manual controls over her own mind had been switched to automatic, she hadn't even noticed when the crystal rocks glass had entered her hand filled with a sweet brown alcohol.

"I joined AVALANCHE because of my parents. My dad worked as a maintenance engineer at the number 5 reactor, I guess he's where I inherited my love for technology from. By the time I was 9 my dad was slaving at the reactor 16 hours a day, Shinra kept cutting jobs and wages, always trying to make the reactors cheaper to run".

"Sounds like Shinra, tight fuckers", Reno leaned further forward listening intently, tearing down the barriers Jessie had spent years putting up.

"Eventually the obvious happened and there was a spill, dad died and Shinra covered up the whole thing like it never happened. Me and my mum struggled from then on. Then when I was 16, mum was coming home from her second job as an office cleaner when she got caught up in some riot that had started in the sector. She wasn't even a part of it, just unlucky enough to be in the same area, Shinra sent in SOLDIER's and she was caught in the crossfire."

The manual controls came back on with a shuddering gasp and Jessie could feel her body trembling, tears flowing down her face and the drink in her hand strewn across the white carpeted floor.

"Wha' tha' the hell Jess? I didn't even know... why ya never even told me bout all tha'?"

Barret had obviously moved closer to overhear what they were saying, his face was sorrowful with shock and empathy. He was right, she had never told any of them about the real reason why she'd joined AVALANCHE except a few little pieces to Tifa, but never as much as what she had just shared. Reno had a deep penetrating look of compassion across his face, an emotion so foreign compared to his usual uncaring persona. That's when she realized exactly who she had shared it all with, a Turk, the enemy of all people. Anger stirred within her and she stood sharply to her feet causing him to look startled.

"Jessie look I d..."

"No! don't talk anymore!", if he spoke she didn't know where her head would go to. Turning she walked briskly away, swatting at the tears on her face.

"Jess..", Reno's words were cut short again by the sound of Barret growling, daring him to speak again.

She'd only been sat for a minute composing herself when suddenly Tifa jumped to her feet, the door she had been hovering around burst open and all five people in the room moved into alert stances. Tseng came striding hastily through the lobby.

"Sir?"

"Boss?"

Without even stopping to acknowledge either of his Turks he exited the mansion in a rush, something was wrong.

Moments later Zack came bounding into the room looking out of control.

"WE NEED TO GET BACK TO SECTOR SEVEN, NOW!"

"Woah slow it down porcupine, wha' tha' problem?"

"THEY FOUND THE BASE! THEY'RE GOING FOR AERITH AND THEY PLAN ON KILLING EVERYONE IN THE SECTOR!"

A string of shouts and gasps bounced around the high ceilings, even Reno and Rude both looked stunned. Jessie could only describe the sensation she felt as that of being violently punched in the stomach.

"What?! How do you know!?"

"Tifa there's no time!"

"MARLENE! WE GOTTA GET MARLENE!"

Barret charged out the door with Zack and Tifa close in pursuit. Jessie made to follow but the same hand that had fit into hers earlier stopped her.

"Jessie, don't!, anyone going in there darlin' is either coming out in handcuffs or a bag"

Reno looked genuinely concerned and she felt a pang of guilt at the cold anger she had showed him earlier.

"I have to" she whispered, barely trusting her voice.

He sighed sadly.

"Well at least take this then"

Jessie inhaled deeply as he held out the electro-mag rod to her.

"Perhaps I'll teach ya how to use it one day, for now just touch anyone who gets near ya and it'll do the rest"

She swelled with emotion, it was perfect, she had never had the accuracy for guns or throwing weapons or the strength for hand combat or swords.

"Why?" she breathed hoarsely

"Midgar's ugly enough as it is yo without losing the few good-looking birds it does have"

He winked devilishly and then left with Rude through the hallway door leading to Rufus Shinra's office.

Watching him leave she stood in a daze for a moment before shaking off the fog in her head. Sprinting for the exit she just prayed they weren't too late.

* * *

**Chapter 9 Part 2 **\- Dark hierarchy****

"27... 28... 29... 30! ready or not here I come!"

Aerith climbed up the stairs of seventh heaven, crossing the landing and into the main bedroom, she could already hear Marlene's quiet giggling. She hadn't been in the mood at first but the small girls irresistible pleading that the four of them play hide n' seek had brightened her mood. That and the sweet kindness of Biggs and Wedge.

She had learned a lot about the two men that day, Biggs' father had suffered from a treatable illness, however being far too poor to afford Shinra's extortionate medical services he had later died. He joined AVALANCHE after his brother inherited the same illness and later died under similar circumstances despite years of desperate struggle to raise the cash. Wedge had joined simply because he wanted to make the world a better place. Like her he seemed extremely receptive to the suffering of others, as if their pain was his own. Their caring and sincere natures were candles of light in a world so seemingly full of darkness and Aerith cherished it dearly.

For now though, she put those thoughts aside and just took joy in playing a simple child's game of hide n' seek. Not wanting to catch Marlene out first she ignored the snickering coming from beneath a pile of clothes in the nearby wash basket. Scanning around the room Aerith couldn't refrain from laughing at the obvious Wedge shaped bulge behind the curtain.

"I see you behind the curtain Wedge"

Wedge stepped from behind the curtain and patted his round stomach with a chortle, "Hehe, guess I didn't stand much chance of winning".

Another hysterical giggle came from the wash basket.

She began glancing around at possible places Biggs could be hiding but the sound of the front door bursting open downstairs alarmed her. Dashing to the top of the stairs she squealed in fright as Cissnei crashed breathlessly into the wall at the bottom, both she and Rekka were covered in blood and dirt. Oddly she was also dressed in an extremely tight-fitting and revealing baby blue dress.

"WE NEED... TO LEAVE... NOW!"

Biggs appeared from the bedroom closet and Wedge grabbed Marlene from her hiding place.

"Why what's happening!? Cissnei your hurt!"

"I can't explain it all right now Aerith, but I squeezed out of Don Corneo that Shinra are coming for you and they plan to kill everyone in the sector"

"No way! you can't be serious Ciss! how!? how did they find us?!" Biggs bellowed in shock

"Guys we need to go! Shinra have already surrounded the area, we need to go before they get here"

Recognizing her urgency they stomped down the stairwell and hurtled out of the bar after Cissnei. They hadn't moved 20 feet from the building before a projectile screamed past overhead and exploded into the upstairs window of seventh heaven, knocking them to the ground and showering them in debris and rubble. Aerith felt her breathing begin to hyperventilate as her ears rang painfully, had Cissnei been mere moments later they would all now be dead. Marlene's frightened wailing was drowned out by the sudden sound of distant gunfire and screams. Aerith stared mortified at the scene as blue armored troops rounded the corner, firing countless rounds of bullets into innocent people running for their lives. Aerith's scream when she watched a SOLDIER shoot a boy who could not have been older than Marlene was suppressed by Cissnei's bloodied hand clamping against her mouth.

"Stay close to me!"

Cissnei yanked her and the others down a side road and through a series of alley ways. The ground and the walls around them shook dramatically as a series of blasts seemed to rattle the entire world, the ear-splitting noise was like running through the middle of a war zone. They tore down street after street until they could run no more without taking a breather.

"WE NEED TO GO BACK AND HELP THEM!" Biggs cried, he still held Marlene, clamping her face to his shoulder so she couldn't see anything. Wedge sat rocking with his hands over his ears to block out the screams like they were daggers to his brain.

"There's nothing we can do" Cissnei rationalized.

The sound of heavy boots jogging around the corner alerted them to three armed SOLDIERS sweeping the back streets. Spotting them they opened fire immediately, Cissnei hurled Rekka at one of the men and darted towards the others. Picking up enough momentum she connected her foot against brick and hopped between the narrow walls of the alley corridor, closely avoiding the frantic aim of the last two SOLDIER's. Catching Rekka mid flight she slashed at one of the guards while simultaneously kicking the gun out of the others hand before finishing him off.

Not daring to rest any longer they kept running until they arrived on the edge of a clearing that was heavily guarded with troops.

"Damn! there's no other way out of the sector but through here" Cissnei cursed.

"What we gonna do?" Biggs questioned

"Ok follow my lead, act like your under arrest and keep your heads down"

"Are you sure about this?" Biggs asked hesitantly.

"We don't have any other choice" Cissnei replied.

Aerith swallowed anxiously as they walked towards the guards, if her face didn't give her away she was sure the sound of her pounding heart would.

"HALT!... FREEZE!... I SAID FREEZE!"

Cissnei walked confidently over to one of the many SOLDIER's now pointing their guns at her and pulled out some kind of ID or badge.

"I am a Turk and I am detaining these people for further investigation. Stand aside."

The SOLDIER stared her up and down, bewildered by her torn and revealing attire.

"You got something you want to say?" she hissed

The man shifted nervously under her glare until a SOLDIER lieutenant stepped forward.

"What's going on here?" he barked

"She say's she's a Turk and that she's arresting these people" the man gulped.

The lieutenant snapped Cissnei with a hostile glare, "We have strict orders from the president that the Turks are not be trusted or allowed to leave with any individuals."

There was a tense pause, Cissnei's hand twitched and she glanced back at her briefly, in that moment Aerith knew what was about to happen. Slowly moving closer to Biggs she slipped her hand into his, preparing for his response.

"RUN! DON'T WAIT FOR ME"

A barrage of bullets responded to Cissnei's shout, she burst into action, slashing, twisting and jumping deftly around the pack of guards. As predicted Biggs put Marlene down and tried to charge over to help but Aerith pulled him back.

"She's giving us time to escape!"

"But I gotta help!"

"No Biggs! Please! we need to get Marlene away from here!"

Wedge helped her drag Biggs towards the exit while Marlene clung shakily to Aerith's dress screaming for her dad. Dashing across the clearing they made it safely through the hail of gun fire. Sparing a final glance back Aerith watched as Cissnei battled the SOLDIER's, leading them in the opposite direction back into the city.

* * *

**Chapter 9 Part 3 **\- Dark hierarchy****

Channeling his limit break 'rush assault', Zack seemed to teleport between enemy's landing explosive blows until nothing was left except for a ring of incapacitated SOLDIER around him.

They had fiercely battled their way into the sector, fueled with rage from the horror they had walked through. The streets ran red with blood and the bodies of innocent men, women and children who had been killed. Zack had just about managed not to throw up at the sight, Jessie had not been as successful.

"Tifa we gotta move!"

Zack ran over to the martial artist who stood motionless on the other side of the square. She was staring at the open but lifeless eyes of an old man laying bloodied among the masses of other countless bodies.

"Bill... it's just like Nibelheim all over again Zack" Her voice like her face was void of emotion and Zack took it as a dangerous sign, it indicated when someone was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Gently taking the side of her head he guided her eyes away from the scene and into his shoulder, speaking into her hair.

"Stay with me Teef, this isn't going to be Nibelheim again, we're gonna stop this"

She clung to him with shaking arms and Zack felt another layer of his sanity peel away as the glazed over eyes of a young women around Aerith's age and frame stared up at him.

The sound of familiar gunfire a street away told them that Barret had moved on, the man would not stop for anything. Zack knew in every dead child's face he saw Marlene and in the adults he saw the people of Corel. Zack shuddered to think what the man would do if Marlene was killed, he would probably murder every last Shinra employee down to the youngest cadet and not even he would be able to stop him.

Joining Barret they entered the fray, the forces they encountered were gradually beginning to grow in number and Zack suspected they were getting closer to the thick of it. He was just thankful for Cissnei's idea, his broadcast as planned had caused a mass desertion and unsurety in the army over the last 24 hours. Had they been against the full force of SOLDIER today he doubted they would have made it this far.

Also joining the fight, Tifa seemed to shake out of her stupor. She bolted towards four guards, pummeling the first with a series of beta rush punches and then somersaulting a snapping kick beneath another's chin. She finished of the final two with a low sweeping water-kick to their legs, sending them airborne they crumpled in a heap on the floor. Walking away she cracked her knuckles, stopping briefly to slam the heel of her boot into the helmet of a guard who hadn't had the sense to remain unconscious. Zack mentally noted never to get on Tifa's bad side.

Crouching low Zack sped towards a party of SOLDIER's who had formed a barricade and were firing in tight formation at them. He managed to block and cut through the majority of the bullets that came at him but a handful bit into non-fatal parts of his body. He could easily have avoided all of them but it would have required a more tactful and timed approach. He had no time, every second longer he took was a second longer Aerith was in danger.

Gritting his teeth he jumped over the heads of the first line of SOLDIER and landed in the middle of the crowd. Sweeping the buster sword in a full circle of blue flame he cut through at least six men before unleashing octaslash with an aggression and lack of control that would have earned him a disapproving shake of Angeal's head.

The slip in control cost him, bringing down the final strike too heavily against a third class SOLDIER, he lost his position to block an incoming attack. A second class thrust his blade for Zack's leg, before it could land Jessie appeared from the side and drove the electro-mag rod under the mans arm. The rod released a sharp crack and the second's body jolted limply across the cobbled pavement. Jessie stared in awe at her own hands, disbelieving that she had been able to help, Zack sent her a grateful nod. He smiled as she moved on and intercepted another SOLDIER who had moved to attack Barret, pleased for her that she had finally found her groove. Though how she had come into possession of Reno's electro-mag was anyone's guess.

Once the last SOLDIER fell they moved on, flying through street after street until Zack picked up on the sound of screams.

"THIS WAY!"

Moving towards the sound they ran into a courtyard where the air shook with hundreds of panicked shouts. Zack's eyes widened, what was left of the people of sector seven being lined up and gagged along a far wall. SOLDIER troops surrounded them and pointed uncertain guns at them. The alleyway they had come through was closed of as troops surrounded them, they had walked into a trap.

His gaze darted from face to face in the crowd but he couldn't see any sign of Cissnei, Aerith, Marlene, Biggs or Wedge. He wasn't sure whether to feel panicked or relieved by it, regardless he needed to stop this right now.

Looking at the SOLDIER's pointing their guns at innocent people, men he had once called brothers, Zack felt repulsed by them. Adopting the same voice he would use back when he was second in command he strode menacingly across the courtyard towards the troops. Glaring with disgust he connected with many of the men's eyes and each one recoiled or looked away in shame.

"IS THIS WHAT YOU'VE BECOME?! IS THIS WHAT YOU JOINED SOLDIER FOR!?" he could feel the men flinch from his shout.

Through clenched teeth he dropped his voice to a venomous whisper, knowing their enhanced hearing would hear him.

"Where is your honor?" he spat.

Besides the sound of a few scattered grieving cry's among the civilians, the silence that followed could have convinced a person the courtyard was deserted. The men stared at him and Zack stared right back, then one of the SOLDIER's slowly lowered his gun. A loud gunshot rang from a helicopter that appeared overhead and the SOLDIER who had began to drop his weapon was shot through the head.

"ANYONE ELSE CAUGHT NOT DOING THEIR DUTY WILL JOIN HIM!"

The deep bellowing voice of the president himself rang through a speaker phone as the portly man stepped out onto the helicopters platform.

The mans appearance took Zack by surprise, "President Shinra!"

"What's the president doing here!?" Tifa choked

The old dictator stared down at them in cold malevolence.

"Ahhh, at last I get to meet the vermin"

Barret roared in outrage, "Vermin?! that's all ya' can say...VERMIN!... Shinra're the vermin for killin' the planet! guess that'd make you king vermin! so shu'up jackass!"

"Sorry do I know you? you look rather unimportant"

"UNIMPORTANT! I'm tha' reason ya' can't make any of ya' pathetic speeches on the t.v no more ya' son of a bitch"

"Ah yes the network, that was indeed most inconvenient"

"An tha's jus' the beginning. AVALANCHE!, remember the name foo!"

You're boring me now"

"I AIN'T EVEN STARTED WITH YA'! IMMA KILL YA' FOR WHA' YOU'VE DONE YA' RAT!"

"So everyone keeps saying, and yet still... hear I am", the president raised his arms out wide and cackled in a way that told Zack this mans sanity was not all there.

"Your awfully quiet all of a sudden Fair, nothing to say now?"

"Stop this, this is between me and you, let these people go" Zack demanded.

"Put down your weapons and I will"

Barret stepped forward again and raised his gun arm at the helicopter.

"Ya' think were stupid or sumin'!? You the only thing we're gonna be puttin' down!"

The president waved four fingers at the troops below and a sequence of chilling bangs rang out.

"NOO!", Zack's body lurched forward in horror.

A small group of four huddled teenage kids were shot and the rest of the crowd began to scream in muffled frenzied terror.

"Must I do this all day Fair?, now kindly lay down your weapons and hand yourselves in, I have a dinner I must attend"

Frozen, he squeezed the handle of his drawn weapon, trying to consider their options but finding they had none.

Zack surged with dark contempt at the evil grin that spread across the presidents round face as the buster sword crashed against the ground.


	10. Decisive lies

**Chapter 10 Part 1- Decisive lies**

"Marlene... Marlene look at me, it's ok, nothings gonna hurt you"

"But I'm scared Aeryis"

The tiny four-year old girl was quaking terribly, she reminded Aerith of herself when she was a little girl. When the voices of the planet first started calling to her she would be so scared, even try to hide. Her fear of the voices was made worse by the fact that even as a child she knew it wasn't normal, that she shouldn't be hearing voices in her head and it showed in Elmyra's concerned face.

"I'll keep you safe I promise, were going to meet your dad and I'm gonna tell him how brave you've been"

Scooping Marlene into a tight hug the child clung tightly, scrunching her hands through Aerith's hair.

"What'sis Aeryis?"

Marlene had pulled from her hair, her beloved white materia that had been giving to her by her real mother. It was the only thing she had of her biological mother and still to this day she had not been able to find a purpose other than comfort for the small white orb.

"It's a magical pearl Marlene"

Just like when Zack had given her the flower, Marlene eye's stretched open in wide-eyed awe at the materia.

"Truly really it is?"

Aerith chuckled.

"Yes, anyone holding it is safe and protected no matter what"

When the little girl tenderly pressed the orb into Aerith's hand she felt her heart melt with affection.

"Oh Marlene"

She cradled the girl close for a time.

"I want you to hold it for me ok? hold it tight and you will keep us both safe"

"Aerith! SOLDIER's! we need to go!"

Biggs and Wedge reappeared, breathing and sweating profusely, the sound of patrolling boots a street or two away pushed Aerith to her feet.

Her legs burned from all the running they had done, they'd had countless close encounters with being caught while trying to make their way out off the sector. They set to jogging through the junk yard they were in, the rows and rows of trash piled high formed a maze of narrow sandy roads.

"We can't be too far from the border into sector 6" Biggs called over, he was supporting Wedge who was struggling to keep pace.

"Are you sure your moms house is safe?"

"Only Tseng knows where I live"

"You mean the guy who turned on us and shot at Zack!"

"Tseng won't turn me in, I trust him"

Biggs snorted unconvinced.

_He wouldn't hand her over to Shinra... would he?_

There would never have been any doubt in her mind in the past, but after their last encounter she wasn't sure anymore. In truth she missed him.

"HALT!"

The loud boom of a gunshot rang out as a bullet whizzed passed her head and ricocheted off a broken down truck.

"SHIT" Biggs cursed

A sharp whistle screamed out in alarm as they burst into a sprint. A cluster of terrifying bangs fired at them from the SOLDIER's in the distance who had spotted them.

They ran as hard as they could, dashing around column after column of rubbish. They kept moving as fast as possible but Aerith could hear the mako enhanced SOLDIER's were gaining on them.

"Run! come on! run! Wedge I need your help here man!"

Biggs furiously yanked a heavily panting Wedge to try to get him to move faster. In the distance they could see the border to sector 6, but to Aerith's stomach churning dismay there were guards at the gate, they had quarantined the entire sector.

"Go... leave... me... go"

Wedge threw Biggs' arm off him and collapsed against a pile of broken crates and barrels. They pulled to a stop.

"I ain't leaving ya man! now get the hell up!"

Biggs tugged at Wedge's collar but he wouldn't be moved. Marlene started to whimper and Aerith felt her joining the girl.

"Biggs.. they've got the gate guarded what do we do?" Aerith despaired.

The sound of the SOLDIER's who had chased after them drew closer, the only other vacant path was across the road from them that led back into the city. With no energy left to run and the distant echoing barks of dogs, they wouldn't last five minutes heading back into the sector. They were out of options.

"Stay hidden and make a run for the gate the moment you get the chance"

Biggs stood up.

"What? what are you doing?"

"You go the moment you get the chance! you get out and get to safety you hear me?!"

Aerith's stomach lurched as she realised what he was planning to do.

"Biggs no!"

"Hey it's ok", Biggs tightened the red martial art's headband he always wore with a smile, "looks like it's my turn to be action movie cool now".

Grabbing a hefty steel rod from the junk pile Biggs waited until the incoming troops had drawn closer before leaping from their hiding spot.

"BIGGS!"

Taking the troops by surprise he smashed the weapon into the temple of one of the SOLDIER's who crashed unconscious to the ground. Before they even had time to realise what was happening he swung again, catching another in the windpipe who fell coughing and spluttering to his knees.

The guards on the border gate overseeing the altercation came running from their post. Biggs had taken out another SOLDIER but was now grappling with a fourth who had disarmed him. Aerith watched in horror as the guards from the gate approached, wanting to help but knowing she needed to keep Marlene safe.

"Aerith... thanks... for always being nice to me"

"Wedge why are you saying that!? were gonna run for the gate together"

"I can't leave Biggs, he's the best friend I ever had.", Wedge took a deep breath as he gently pried Aerith's hand off his arm.

"I guess I can really help for once"

"Don't... no don't!"

Aerith watched through a screen of tears as Wedge stepped out and charged at the guards from the gate. They had knocked Biggs to the ground and were throwing vicious punches and kicks to his body.

"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT! COME AT ME!" Biggs yelled as he still lashed out with kicks of his own.

Wedge hurtled at the guards and barreled into the troops sending them sprawling across the floor. Pulling Biggs to his feet the two of them turned and ran down the path that led back into the city. The SOLDIER's climbed to their feet and chased after them in pursuit.

Choking on tears Aerith grabbed a grieving Marlene into her arms and ran for the empty gate, escaping into the safety of sector 6.

* * *

**Chapter 10 Part 2- Decisive lies**

Tseng drummed his fingers against the table in apprehension, he sat at the table with a worried looking Elmyra Gainsborough.

"What do you mean she's in trouble?"

"Shinra are after her"

"I don't understand, you work for Shinra, are you gonna arrest Aerith?"

Tseng huffed in annoyance and turned to look out of the front room window, Elmyra knew he would never do that.

"Sorry. But it doesn't make any sense, yes I've always known she was special and Shinra were interested in her, but why now?

"The mako crisis, they want her to show them the way to this so-called 'promised land' the presidents obsessed with."

Elmyra knew what he was talking about.

"Well if that's true and they want to capture her, then why are they not here? they know where she lives, I mean for heaven's sake they even pay for this house!"

Tseng felt a twitch of irritation in his brain. Elmyra believed that Shinra had been sending her money as compensation after her husband died in the Wutai war. A lie that he had led her to believe, the truth was it had been him sending her the money from a secret account all these years. Without it, a single widow with a child could never hope to afford such a nice home as this. They'd have been cast out into the slums had he not intervened, something that despite his better judgement he could not allow to happen to a child he had annoyingly become fond of. Though neither of them could or would ever know it was him, it would be too dangerous.

"Midgar's no longer safe for her, I need to get her out of here tonight, I'll send for you in a few day's to meet us in Kalm."

Elmyra nodded mournfully.

"Thankyou Tseng... I always knew this day was coming"

He went back to drumming his fingers nervously against the table, he'd of had no chance of finding her amongst the chaos in sector seven. The only hope was that she would somehow escape and return home. If she didn't then she'd likely be arrested, or worse, accidentally killed... Tseng quickly abandoned that line of thought.

A flash of pink out the window made him heave a sigh of relief, unclenching a fist he didn't know he had balled he glanced at the line of finger nail marks in his palm. Striding out the door he marched up the flower lined path towards Aerith, he swallowed back his feelings at seeing the state she was in. Her clothes were tattered and dirtied as she trudged pitifully down the path. She was shaking almost as violently as the little girl who clung to her leg, her face was stained with spent tears which began to flow again when she looked up and saw him.

_He'd always been the one to dry them, never to cause them._

She ran down the rest of the path towards him and slammed her body into his, his arms caught her just in time. He gently held her sobbing form, feeling rather awkward among a number of other emotions which were beyond his interpretation.

"It was so horrible Tseng... they were killing everyone.. even children.. please.. please tell me you didn't know about this"

"I didn't know anything about this" he told her truthfully, "Aerith we need to leave the city"

He refrained from stroking the long delicate trestle of curls down her back. She looked up at him.

"We have to go back to sector seven! Cissnei, Biggs and Wedge are still in there"

"They've ceased the killings and are arresting what remains"

Aerith flinched abruptly and he tried to soften his usual harsh and compassionless tone.

"I'll be sure to get them out of custody"

"What about the others? Zack? Barret? Tifa? Jessie?"

"Their still with Rufus Shinra, they can meet you in Kalm to"

He didn't like lying to Aerith, but his only other choice would be to tie her up kicking and screaming, an option he would take if it meant keeping her safe.

"Thankyou, I knew I could trust you! I knew you would help!"

He turned away, shrugging off the misplaced endearments. Elmyra stepped out of the house and Aerith ran over to hug her.

"Go with Tseng sweetheart, it's not safe here anymore"

"Wait, you're not coming?!"

"Tseng can't be trying to look after all of us, I can leave safely in a few days and meet you"

Aerith surprisingly nodded in understanding.

"Can you look after Marlene mom? her dad's with Zack and I promised to take care of her."

"NO AERYIS DON'T LEAVE ME!" the little girl squealed as her short legs ran past Tseng to go latch onto Aerith.

"I'm not leaving for long Marlene, I just need you to help my mommy Elmyra look after my room for me while I'm gone"

Marlene perked up at the prospect.

"Like to keep boys out and stuff?"

Aerith nodded with a laugh.

"Exactly"

"Even Zack?"

"Maybe just Zack can stay, what do you think?"

Marlene blushed but nodded all the same. The girls eyes wandered curiously over Elmyra who was beaming brightly at her.

"That's your mommy?"

Elmyra knelt down to be eye level with the child.

"I sure am, and we can play all the games I used to play with Aerith when she was just a little girl like you"

The girls tight grip on Aerith's dress loosened ever so slightly, Tseng rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Hey Marlene, remember you showed me your room when we met? how about me and Elmyra show you mine before I leave?"

Tseng inhaled with frustration when the child eventually nodded her head.

"I'll meet you round the back" he stated curtly and stormed off to the helicopter he had parked in the field of flowers.

He was made to wait 10 minutes before Aerith finally returned.

"Tseng! I thought I'd taught you to have more respect for flowers! you've crushed them!"

He shrugged.

"Climb in the back, stay hidden and do not under any circumstance look out of the helicopter"

Starting up the blades the chopper lifted off the ground, Tseng heard a short yelp in the back, she had probably never flown before.

"And stay quiet too"

Lifting off into the air he drove the chopper as low and silently as possible across the city. He had disabled the linked communication coms with the other helicopters to keep his location hidden.

They had been flying for five or so minutes and were nearing the edge of the city until the sound of a second pair of helicopter blades rose above theirs.

"Shit!" he cursed under his breath

The flight control monitor flashed a red and orange warning, telling him that the other helicopter had locked missiles onto him. Even if he attempted to out maneuver the other pilot, they wouldn't make it halfway across the Midgar wastes before a fleet of back up helicopters chased them down. Left with no other choice he flicked the coms system back on.

"Puma 73, identify yourself or you will be fired upon"

"This is Tseng of the Turks, ID 587312"

"Can you confirm why you are flying with your coms down sir?"

"Standard covert procedure by the Turks, now disengage your target lock pilot, that's an order"

There was a hushed murmur of inaudible whispering.

"Unfortunately sir we have orders that the Turks are not permitted to leave the city at this moment in time."

"Orders from who?" he spat

"Order from me"

Tseng almost lost control of the choppers cyclic stick when the voice of the president came over the coms.

"Gentlemen, please escort Tseng to sector seven immediately, after all his incompetencies at dealing with AVALANCHE, I am sure he would greatly appreciate watching me teach him how to do his job."

_Keep your cool Tseng, they don't know Aerith's with you, let the old fool have his speech and then leave._

* * *

**Chapter 10 Part 3- Decisive lies**

"Must I do this all day Fair?, now kindly lay down your weapons and hand yourselves in, I have a dinner I must attend"

Arriving at the scene, Tseng watched as Zack Fair and his friends dropped their weapons. They were surrendering in exchange for the lives of around three hundred civilians who were gagged and penned into a square, surrounded by the Shinra army.

_Please stay down Aerith, please stay down._

"Ahh Tseng, glad you could join us, let me show you how you deal with terrorists. Seize them!"

Armed SOLDIER's swarmed the four members of AVALANCHE. Zack surrendered without a fight as he was kicked to his knees and put into SOLDIER grade handcuffs.

"Don't cha' go thinkin' this is over ya' piece'a scum!"

Barret punched three guards unconscious before finally letting himself be subdued. The two girls began to go peacefully until one of the SOLDIER's got a little too heavy-handed with Jessie.

"Get your hands off her!"

Tifa's hands were cuffed so she flicked an incredibly powerful kick square into the chest of the SOLDIER who had grabbed Jessie. The man soared through the air and crashed into three of his squad mates. Though they cuffed Tifa's feet as a result, the next SOLDIER to go near Jessie was extremely gentle with her.

Tseng's gaze was drawn by six armed guards entering the courtyard. They were dragging two badly beaten men and dumped them in among the rest of the civilian hostages. They must have been members of AVALANCHE because when Zack and the others saw them they exploded in rage.

"BIGGS! WEDGE!" Tifa screamed

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" Jessie cried hysterically

"YOU MOTHER FUCKERS!" Barret threw off the two guards who had been holding him and launched a face breaking headbutt into a third guard. It took the shot of four taser guns to bring him back down.

_Please stay down Aerith, please stay down._

Zack had not said or done anything, but unaware to the SOLDIER's around him the enhanced handcuffs on him were pulled taut and cutting into his bloody wrists. Tseng watched the raw fury he channeled as the veins in his forearms strained close to exploding point. He squinted and leaned slightly out of the chopper, it was hard to see from here but something was different in the ex-SOLDIER. He recoiled sharply, Zack's eyes had turned green, a sickly fluorescent green with cat like pupils he had only seen in one other person.

Suddenly the chains cuffing his wrists impossibly snapped in two. Tseng had quick reactions, yet the buster sword was back in Zack's hand and five SOLDIER's were cut down before even he could notice. Zack hurled the heavy buster sword at the president's helicopter faster than a gun could fire a bullet. The broadsword sliced clean through the choppers tail and the machine lost control and began to fall from the sky. The president who was standing on a platform lost balance and fell towards the ground with a yelp. Before the man could hit the floor Zack seemed to fly more than jump to catch the president mid-air and savagely pinned him to a building wall by the throat.

"YOU LET THESE PEOPLE GO!" he hissed into the presidents wide-eyed and terrified face.

"Y-y-y-you kill me and they'll sh-sh-shoot the lot of them"

The president was right. Zack's hand tightened around the presidents throat and the man squealed in pain.

"Ok ok you have my w-w-word, b-b-but only if you let me go first"

"Know that if you don't, you'll be dead within the next twenty-four hours"

Zack dropped the president sniveling to the floor. Fifteen SOLDIER's rushed over and once again Zack let them arrest him, this time they placed three pairs of cuffs on him.

The president climbed shakily to his feet and composed himself before glaring at Zack in red-faced malevolence.

"I'm afraid your compassion for a group of slum rats has become your downfall boy!"

The president snatched the gun from a third class SOLDIER and smashed the butt of the gun into Zack's face.

"ZACK!"

_Aerith no!_

Aerith ran out onto the platform of the helicopter before Tseng could stop her.

"Aerith!" Zack cried out

"Marlene's safe! she's ok!"

Tseng's heart thundered in his chest, the president stared up with dark suspicion. Left now with no other choice, he needed to make this look like a convincing capture or he risked execution for himself and more to his concern, his Turks for treason.

Grabbing Aerith roughly he lifted her face to the president.

_I'm sorry Aerith_

With the back of his hand he slapped her across the face.

"I've captured the ancient sir"

Zack roared in anger.

"Tseng you son of a bitch! how could you do this!?"

The president grinned with satisfaction.

"It seems like I underestimated you Tseng, very good"

Aerith stared up at him in tear filled horror as she clasped her red stinging cheek.

"You lied to me... this whole time you planned to hand me in..."

Tseng kept his pain from showing with a cold stare. Aerith recoiled further.

"I thought you were my friend" she whimpered as tears of hurt rolled down her face.

_He'd always been the one to dry them, never to cause them._

"Excellent, well I think that's enough drama for one day" the president chirped cheerily.

He turned to the troops restraining AVALANCHE, "please be sure our guests have a comfortable AND SECURE stay in the tower".

Turning to the second helicopter that still had its missiles locked onto Tseng, "Kindly assist Tseng in escorting the ancient to professor Hojo".

Turning to stare Zack straight in the eyes with hateful derision, "Kill everyone else".

"NO!"

"YOU GAVE YOUR WORD!"

"SHINRA YA' BASTARD!"

"On my mark!"

"NO WAIT! BIGGS! WEDGE! THEIR WITH AVALANCHE TO!"

"Good! kill them! set an example."

"PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS"

"FIRE"

"NO!"

The screams of AVALANCHE crescendoed before being drowned out as SOLDIER opened fire upon the three hundred remaining citizens of sector seven, including two of their comrades.

Even Tseng couldn't watch.


	11. Twenty-four hours

**Chapter 11 Part 1- Twenty-four hours**

_... can you hear me?_

"..yeah.."

_frustrating isn't it?_

"...what is?... who are you? "

_... I'm sad you have to ask_

"... sorry"

_...she's special isn't she?..._

"yeah..."

_do you love her?"_

"... I think so..."

_... so what exactly happened back then?_

"Why?... that was four years ago... that's over now..."

_did you see it end yourself?..._

"...yes"

_..._

"... no ...I don't remember"

_hmmm.. that's probably for the best_

Shiny dark blue marble skimmed by in a hazy blur, Zack's head was drowsy and his eyes felt heavy. They'd knocked him unconscious, and not in a gentle seditive kind of way. He'd never really looked at his own blood this closely before, he watched as it fell to tarnish the pristine surface of the floor that passed by. There was something unnatural about it, the red was too vivid, like it was trying too hard to actually be red. There had been rumors among the other SOLDIER's that the doctors actually added a special chemical to their mako shots to keep it that color, else their blood would turn blue. Some went as far as to say they added special chemicals just to keep them looking human at all. After Nibelheim, Mt. Corel and now sector seven, after Angeal and Genesis... after Sephiroth, he could believe that, believe that they were all just monsters in disguise. Sephiroth certainly believed so before he died, the thought had driven him insane, perhaps it would drive him insane to.

They stopped moving, the two SOLDIER guards who had dragged Zack's limp body by the arms dropped him unceremoniously to the floor. He recognized this floor or more precisely he recognized the sterile smell of this floor, he had been sent here when Genesis clones attacked the Shinra building, to protect professor Hojo. It was the floor of the corridor that lead to the prison cells located in the Shinra science department on floor 67. Why a science department would have their own prison cells spoke volumes about this place, a place even SOLDIER's feared to enter. Tales of unfortunate cadets sent to deliver mail and never returning were to be thanked for that.

They'd likely been brought here so Hojo could examine him, if he hadn't already done so that is. No... he'd know if he had been on the receiving end of that mans deranged insanity. Plus he was probably too busy with...

"Aerith!"

His outcry earned him a dizzying blow to the head from one of the SOLDIER's who then moved away to unlock one of the prison cell doors.

"Don't worry she's safe, they haven't done anything to her... yet"

When the guard was out of earshot, the other SOLDIER had knelt down and whispered in his ear. Zack recognized that voice.

"Kunsel?"

"Hold tight, I'm gonna get you out of here"

The second SOLDIER returned and they dumped him in his cell. He simply lay there for a while with his face against the floor.

Kunsel Haringer, the only second class SOLDIER in history to refuse a promotion to first. A man with a resourcefulness that would rival Cissnei's. It was Kunsel who had found out that the monsters in Midgar were let out of Hojo's lab, that Director Lazard Deusericus laundered money from Shinra, and that Dr. Hollander had special ties to Banora Village and to Genesis and Angeal. An unassuming character who was happy to leave the fame and glory to others and therefore often went unnoticed, a status he seemed to like and was probably why he refused the promotion.

His reminiscing was interrupted by a soft quiet sniffling across the other side of the cell. A small red-head was laid facing the wall, cradling her knee's on the single narrow hard bed in the room. Climbing groggily to his feet Zack moved across and perched lightly beside her, placing a hand gently on Jessie's arm.

Thankfully she was the first to speak, he had never been good at approaching this kind of thing and had deeply resented it during his time in the army. Needed a joke cracking? he was your man, offering condolences or comfort for deceased love ones? the last time he tried that he had thrown a table against a wall.

"After all this was over we were gonna open a movie theatre together... me, Biggs and Wedge... I would work the tech, we were gonna be the first ever cinema to have a 3D hologram screening. Biggs would pick all the best action movies and run these epic film marathons... he loved action movies. Wedge said he would run the food desks, you know we actually sat down once and came up with fifteen different flavours of popcorn we were gonna sell".

"That sounds nice Jess, I can just see it now"

Jessie rolled over, strands of red hair clung to her damp face.

"But that's gone now, th-th-they're gone now"

She was trying so hard not to cry.

"Don't give up, not now"

"Why!? why not!? what's this all for!? what's the point!?"

"To save the planet?"

"Let's be real Zack! were not doing this for the planet, we were doing this to each get our own personal revenge on Shinra, for our own selfish reasons. Sure I don't want to watch the planet die, but that's not why were all really here is it?".

"No, no it's not... but I suppose it's a two birds with one stone kind of thing"

"Well it looks like the birds are winning and we just ran out of stones"

"Not yet we haven't, were getting out of here, and when we do I need you with me ok?"

Jessie stared at him in consideration, clearly on the precipice of wether or not to keep fighting or just surrender. She seemed to choose the former.

"Ok Zack... I trust you"

Jessie turned back to facing the wall, he let her be.

Half an hour went by before he finally gave up studying the room, there was no chance of escaping these cells from within. Crossing over to one of the walls he whispered into the cold grey sheet of solid steel.

"Tifa, you there?"

"Naw it's me ya foo'"

"You alright B?"

A gruff huff was his response before his voice dropped into despondent sadness.

"All those people man... It's messed up... this whole god damn thing is jus' messed up!"

A loud thump hit the floor.

"... yo Porcupine, Aerith said that Marlene was safe right? she said she was ok?"

"Yeah"

"Then I owe her ma' life, she kept ma' li'l girl safe, I'm gettin' Aerith the hell outta here. Don't s'pose I need to ask whether ya'll help out"

"Yeah... were getting her outta here, I owe her the same, she's saved my life in more ways then she'll ever know"

Now that Zack thought about it, Aerith had been the one true thing that had kept him going throughout the last 5 years of darkness. Her healing had always been there whenever he needed it, except now. Now because of him this was the second time she was in danger and all because he had foolishly pushed her away, unable to deal with his own emotions. Some bodyguard he was turning out to be.

He'd taken her for granted and now that she was missing from him, now that her radiating warmth was gone, the truth hit him hard... he loved her. There was no more uncertainty of it, no more hiding from it, no matter how confusing his feeling's were of late, there was one feeling that he was and always would be sure of... he loved Aerith. He loved her with every bit of whatever soul he might have left and the next time he held her in his arms, he swore to himself he would tell her.

_I love you Aerith_

"Thanks B"

"Thanks? fer what?"

"Just thanks, you know, for being a good friend and all"

"... awrigh' cut it out, don't go gettin' all emotional on me now Porcupine"

The cells went quiet for a while.

"Hey, ya' think wha' Cissnei said Shinra believe 'bout Aerith is true? ya' think she's part'a some ancient race and knows tha' way to some place with a crap load'a mako?"

"I don't know, I know she said that when Cloud died she could feel his spirit entering the lifestream. I also know she can speak to the planet and it tells her things"

"What things? whats'it say?"

"I don't know"

"Tha's kinda messed up, if it was ma' girlfriend speakin' or whatever to the planet, I'd be askin' wha' it was sayin'"

"Mmmm, once we get Aerith back there's a lot of things I need to talk to her about"

"Well all I know is tha' no matter what those Shinra rats ain't touchin' a hair on that girl's head and we can't let em' get their hands on some place fulla' mako. So once ya' quit moping bout tell me ya' plan to get tha' hell outta here"

_Better check on Tifa_

Zack moved across to whisper at the opposite wall.

"Tifa? Tifa you there?"

"Zack is that you?"

"Yeah, you alright?"

"Yeah, one of the guards tried his luck but I'm ok"

There it was, that spike in his emotions again.

"Don't worry Teef, we're gonna be out of here soon"

"We're going to get Aerith back right?"

"Me and Barret are, I need you to get Jessie safely out of here"

"Hey! I'm not a baby! I want to help save Aerith to you know!"

Jessie's outraged cry made him jump, he thought she'd fallen asleep.

"Zack were helping you get Aerith back together" Tifa whispered through the wall

"Ok"

"You know she asked me about this, back on the train, Aerith asked me whether I thought we were starting something that would get a lot of people hurt. Deep down I knew the answer was yes, and now Biggs and Wedge are dead, all those innocent people in sector seven... dead. Is this our fault Zack?"

"No, no way! this is Shinra's fault and only Shinra's fault!"

He wasn't entirely convinced by his own words.

"But even if we do kill president Shinra, his son will take his place and nothing will be any different"

"Rufus isn't as twisted and far-gone as his father yet, I think there's still a chance he could be convinced to do good"

"Really?"

It was the first time in a long while that he had heard hope in Tifa's voice.

"Ye I do, we'd better get some sleep, we're gonna need our strength"

"Ok Zack"

That feeling again... that feeling like he wanted to smash down the wall between them and hold Tifa in his arms.

God this was tricky.

* * *

**Chapter 11 Part 2- Twenty-four hours**

The dull painful throb emanating from her lat on the right side of her rib, woke Aerith up from the induced stupor she'd been placed in. Her head pounded fiercely from the overwhelmingly strong fumes of cleaning products and the bright glare of the lights in the blank white environment.

Pushing herself into a sitting position she checked her surroundings, she was inside a clear glass tube like an antique on display. Her face burned with the humiliation of it, ensuring no one was in the room she turned her attention to the source of the pain at her side.

Unzipping the back of her dress that thankfully she still wore, she pulled down one side, making sure to place an extra hand to cover her white flower stitch covered bra.

Her eyes pricked with tears at the boldly printed black tatoo of the numeral 'XIV' they had put on her. She rubbed at the tender and sore mark tearfully, hoping beyond hope it would just rub off.

The tatoo remained and she became overwhelmed with grief. They'd permanently brandished and numbered her like an object or a piece of cattle in an auction. Tseng had betrayed her and handed her into Shinra after deceiving her that Zack and the others were safe. Biggs and Wedge had turned themselves in to protect her and Marlene and were now dead because of it. Cissnei was missing, maybe even dead as well. The people of sector seven had all been ruthlessly murdered just to get to her and AVALANCHE. And the one person she lived for, the only one who could keep her going through a time like this was in love with another a women.

Aerith laid her head against the cold hard floor in resignation, not even bothering to cover herself back up. Whatever fight she had left poured out in rivulets down her cheeks.

Time passed absently, then something washed over her, a familiar and yet unexpected connection that usually she was the first to initiate. Her eyes became distant as the voices filled her mind.

_A Keeper of light searches the skies. To take back from us that which was untimely returned. An ancient power blessed to the last daughter of Gaia. The key to the gateway for the fifth guardian._

"Planet I don't understand! you know I don't understand! what do you want from me?!"

_We know not which paths the invader will tread. But only the warrior can restore the weapon for its defeat._

"Invader? weapon? keeper? guardian?, none of it makes sense! what are you talking about! please just talk to me so I can understand!"

Aerith cried out in frustration when no answer was made and the connection was broken. The planet often spoke in riddles like this and seldom made sense. Despite rarely understanding its message, just hearing the planets voice usually brought her comfort, but right now it just brought confusion and doubt which were the last things she could deal with at this moment.

She pushed the planets words from her mind and continued laying against the mercilessly uncomfortable floor, her entire world seemed to crumbled around her.

Ten minutes later the sound of angry nasal shouting reached her ears.

"I told you you blithering great moron to call me the moment the subject began communicating with the planet!"

"I-I-I th-th-thought sh-she was just talking to herse-se-self!"

"Get out of my sight before I extract your brain and implant it into the head of a chimpanzee just to see how much more stupid they can be!"

The other man clearly didn't think he was joking as he scuttled off with a frightened cry.

The intentionally frightening bang of a door being thrown open had Aerith bolting upright, it was Hojo. Quickly putting her arm back into her dress she covered up what little dignity she had left.

The greasy haired scientist smirked revoltingly as he caught her just before she had finally zipped up her dress.

"Oh my dear, I assure you by the time we are done with you there will be no secrets of yours I do not know"

Aerith shuddered in horrified repulsion which seemed to bring the mad scientist twisted satisfaction. Shuffling across the laboratory the hunched monster drew closer to her, muttering frantically in thought under his breath

"...must be extended... specimen thirteen... genius... Cetra... compatible... injection... live extraction"

The mangy hard-nosed creep walked up to the glass tube prison, Aerith scrambled away to press her back against the glass as far away from him as possible. Aerith held back an indignant shout as he observed her like an animal in a cage, even poking the glass several times as if to stir a reaction.

Hojo squinted at a file through a pair of round spectacles for several minutes.

"Hmmmmm"

Looking back at her.

"Hmmmmm"

Looking back at the file.

"How disappointing, test results indicate current specimen is inferior to its mother"

"You knew my mother!"

Hojo glared up at her in annoyance from the interruption which quickly changed to pleasure when he saw how disturbing the news was to her.

"Oh yes, I knew Ifalna and Gast exceedingly well you might say" Hojo chuckled eerily

"Gast? who's Gast?"

Hojo snapped shut the file he was holding abruptly.

"A buffoon my dear"

"What are you going to do to me!?" she started to begin feeling very panicked.

"Oh my precious specimen, I think it would be better if the question was what am I not going to do to you, it would save us a great deal of time"

"You're a monster!" she shrieked

"I am a genius"

Aerith lashed out verbally against the lunatic in defiance.

"NO YOU'RE NOT!"

It hit a nerve, it was as if it was the worst possible thing she could have said to the unhinged professor and Aerith began to regret her words as a look of murderous fury spread across Hojo's steely face. His eyes remained burned onto hers as he wordlessly raised his hand above his head and flicked his wrist.

Aerith released a squeal of fright when the chamber door hissed open.

"Stay away from me!"

Moving with a speed entirely unlike his usual unhurried ramble, a rough bony hand clamped around her jaw.

"YOU DISPUTE MY INTELLIGENCE GIRL!?" he screeched wildly a mere few inches from her face, covering her spittle.

Soundlessly screaming she thrashed to pull away but the seemingly frail and gnarled fingers were like vices digging painfully into her cheeks. A second hand of fingers jabbed maliciously into the inflamed tattoo on her side making her jolt with pain.

"YOU BELONG TO ME NOW AND NEVER FORGET IT! YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A MINDLESS SPECIMEN!"

Never feeling more terrified in her life she hit out frantically, she had to get away from this insane creature, she even tried to cry out for Zack. Tugging her face away she managed to loosen the mans ruthless grip just enough to sink her teeth into Hojo's hand. With a howl of pain he yanked his hand away before slamming the flat of his other hand across her cheek.

"YOU DISGUSTING BITCH!"

Clutching her face that hurt terribly she could taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. She refused to cry, she wouldn't give the sick professor the satisfaction.

Just when he looked like he was about to attack her again a timid middle-aged blonde man appeared.

"Prof-f-fesor Ho-Ho-Hojo sir"

"WHAT IS IT YOU SNIVELLING TWIT!?"

The man squeaked in fear before nervously choking out his next words.

"Th-th-there's been an intruder in the bu-bu-bu-building, th-t-there saying that SO-SOLDIER's have be-be-been cut up"

Hojo's eyes flashed with something indescribable, stepping out of the glass chamber clutching his hand he cast her one final glance of malice.

"DO THAT AGAIN AND I'LL EXTRACT EVERY LAST ONE OF YOUR TEETH!"

The chamber snapped shut and Hojo thrust the file he held viciously towards the other scientist.

"Prepare specimen thirteen! were beginning ahead of schedule!"

Hojo shuffled quickly from the room with the blonde shaking scientist in tow. She was so frightened, staring up at the ceiling she internally cried out for her bodyguard to come save her.

* * *

**Chapter 11 Part 3- Twenty-four hours**

Zack's violent awakening shook Jessie from her own sleep. He'd fallen asleep propped against the wall which she had tried to make more comfortable by wrapping the only blanket they had around him.

"What is it Zack? what's wrong?"

Zack was staring wide-eyed into nothingness and it began to creep her out.

"Something's wrong, something's here in the building", his chilling words made her heartbeat double in an instant.

Zack climbed to his feet and Jessie followed suit.

"What is? what's in the building!?"

She already knew he didn't have the answer but from the look on Zack's face, whatever 'it' was, it wasn't anything good.

"We need to get out of here... now"

Zack began to pace around the cell door, touching it as if a precise sequence of prodding would be the combination to unlock it. Jessie almost gasped when the door lock clicked in response, thinking it had worked. However the door was swung open by a SOLDIER and Jessie readied her stance for a fight she was sure Zack was about to begin.

Zack approached the SOLDIER and Jessie slinked towards them readying herself to help out. She was thrown off guard when Zack slapped a firm hand against the mans arm which the SOLDIER reciprocated.

"It's good to see you again Kunsel"

"You too Zack, we need to go, quickly"

"Do you feel it too?"

"The cells? yeah. The whole place is on high alert which won't help us, there's an intruder in the building"

Kunsel turned to move but Zack held fast to his shoulder.

"It can't be, can it?"

"... no Zack, it can't be"

Whatever they were talking about, the SOLDIER Kunsel didn't seem so sure. Jessie wanted to ask but knew this was no time for a session of Q & A, especially when she didn't know how long the two unconscious guards on the floor would be out for.

They ran to Tifa's cell and Kunsel opened the door. A whirlwind of limbs burst through the door the moment the lock was released. In a split second Tifa threw two lightning quick punches, both of which Kunsel blocked with the flats of his palms. A leg sweep to his shins was stopped by the boot of his foot catching Tifa's and locking it to the floor.

"Woah! woah! woah!, Teef it's ok he's a friend!"

Tifa noticed Zack and stared at him, then stared back at Kunsel before dropping her fists with an embarrassed look of apology.

"Sorry.."

"Pleasures all mine" Kunsel chuckled, releasing Tifa's foot.

Moving to open Barret's door Kunsel paused just before he was about to open it.

"I'm about to open the door ok?, I'm with Zack so don't flip out"

Regardless of his words the second the door opened Barret's hefty frame burst through with a yell, throwing his entire weight behind a punch. Kunsel deftly sidestepped the attack and Barret careened through the open door of the cell opposite.

"Your new friends are delightful Zack"

Barret reappeared in a violent frenzy, looking like he was about to take on a gang of street thugs. Zack quickly jumped in the way.

"Easy B! he ain't kidding he's a friend!"

Barret glanced around before finally cooling off.

"Ye well he looks a lot like'a friggin' enemy ta' me" Barret indicated at the SOLDIER uniform and helmet.

"We can debate his allegiances later! for now, Kunsel... this is Barret, Tifa and Jessie. Tifa, Barret, Jessie... Kunsel".

"Pleased to meet you" Tifa offered

Jessie approached, "Hi, thanks for getting us out"

"Don't mention it. We need to go down to floor 64 to get your weapons, they've locked them in the SOLDIER armory"

"They really let seconds have access to the armory these days?" Zack asked.

"Nope" was his glib response

Zack grinned as they turned and began leaving down the corridor.

"Same old Kunsel"

As Barret passed the SOLDIER he stopped and poked a finger against his chest.

"I don't trust you"

Jessie smiled, some things never changed.


	12. Compelling acquaintances

**Chapter 12 Part 1- Compelling acquaintances  
**

"Well if I recall correctly it was your attempts at flirting with the tribe elders daughter's that got us into trouble in the first place."

Zack's step faltered, they were rapidly descending the final flight of stairs leading to floor sixty-four.

"Hey I wasn't flirting! I was... bridging cultural divides."

"Is that what you call it" Kunsel deadpanned with a dry smile.

"After that time you got us trapped in a nest of Kyuvilduns, I can't believe you're still holding that little tribe incident against me".

"We made it out of that unscathed, I took a spear to the leg for the 'little tribe incident'!"

"Ok ok, so this is only the second fix I've got you into."

"Really? How about the time you got us kicked over board off the coast of Gongaga for hitting on the admirals wife?"

"Seems like there's a lot we don't know about you Zack" Tifa remarked with amusement.

"Yeah, I wonder if Aerith knows about all these little 'incidents'" Jessie giggled.

Zack's eyes widened.

"Kunsel, once we get Aerith back you're not allowed to speak!"

"Hmmm, that'll all depend on how often you end up getting me shot this time round."

"Oh god..." Zack groaned

Jessie heaved a sigh of relief when they finally arrived at floor sixty-four, they'd been through a pretty grueling series of fights to get here. Especially difficult as none of them had their weapons back except Kunsel's claymore so they'd heavily relied on him and Tifa for most of the battles. Oddly not all of the enemies they had encountered had been humans or machines and the peculiarity was playing on her mind so she decided to voice her thoughts.

"Is it normal for monsters to just roam the Shinra building?"

Both Kunsel and Zack, who had been reaching for the stairwell exit, tensed up.

"No.. no it's not" Zack's voice had turned frighteningly serious.

"Then where tha' fuck are those fuckin' things comin' from?!"

Jessie placed a hand on Barret's arm to try to calm him. He always got agitated by stairs for some reason.

When Zack didn't reply Tifa re-addressed the question, a little more delicately than Barret.

"Zack, where are the monsters coming from?"

Kunsel was the one who replied in the end.

"Hojo's lab."

Jessie had never seen the man herself, but from the way it sent a shudder through Zack's body and from the horrific stories she'd heard, even she felt a chill run down her spine.

"Why would Hojo be releasing monsters from his lab?" Tifa questioned nervously.

This time Zack did respond.

"To slow us or someone else down... someone who would want him dead."

"But no one knows we've even escaped yet!" Jessie exclaimed

"Exactly..."

The edge in Zack's voice was chilling. She was beginning to get a very bad feeling about all this.

"I think it's 'bout time one of ya foo's told us tha' full story 'ere!"

Kunsel was about to respond but he was sharply cut off by Zack.

"It's nothing!... just a ghost story... that's all it is."

Zack threw the door open abruptly and marched out of the stairwell.

"Ahh screw it! Don't give'a damn anyway, tha' sooner we get our shit back, tha' sooner we can get Aerith outta 'ere."

Barret charged out after him and the rest of them followed behind.

Entering the floor Jessie had been expecting a fight, after all this was supposed to be a floor for SOLDIER and the weapons armory. When the only thing they encountered was silence Jessie's senses screamed that something was wrong.

Kunsel confirmed her thoughts.

"Something's not right here, there should a unit stationed on this floor at all times."

"Yeah I bet there is" Barret growled as he stepped aggressively towards the SOLDIER, "he's led us int'a a trap!"

"Stop it! This isn't the time to start arguing" Tifa stepped between the two men.

"Really, you still think I'm out to get you?" Kunsel argued

"Ya' a SOLDIER, ya' still a SOLDIER, ya' still dress like a SOLDIER. Fuck! for all we know he could even be the one who killed Biggs or Wedge or any of those innocent folk."

"Barret!" Tifa cried in alarm

"No it's ok, here does this make it any better?"

Kunsel pulled of his helmet, showing his face for the first time and revealing a mess of mousy brown hair. It was the kind of stand-on-end hair that had that natural bed-head yet still handsomely stylish appearance to it. His eyes were by far the most startling to look at it, they glowed with the typical SOLDIER blue, but Kunsel's had also some how kept a large scattering of golden hazel that glowed just as fiercely. To see eyes shine in two different dazzlingly bright colors was incredible. Why he hid them behind a helmet all this time was beyond her, perhaps he wasn't the type to like attention or being recognized? The rest of his features were soft and from his fairly light but not too pale complexion Jessie would hazard a guess that he was originally from either Kalm or Junon.

"And for the record I wasn't there at sector seven."

"Ya' still with SOLDIER even after ya' know what they did! that makes ya' just as bad as the rest of em."

"That wasn't SOLDIER you saw, those were simply scared men in SOLDIER uniforms following orders. The true meaning of SOLDIER is more than just a person or a group of people, the SOLDIER I believe in is the same SOLDIER you spoke about on the news network Zack. Remember what you use to say? 'Embrace your dreams, and whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER', isn't that what you taught us Zack?"

"That was a long time ago man..."

Zack wouldn't look at him.

"Well you might believe that SOLDIER is gone, but I haven't given up on it yet. I choose to believe that somewhere that honor still exists, that SOLDIER can become what we always thought it could be."

Kunsel stormed away and Zack sighed sorrowfully, for the first time Jessie realized she had never even considered how hard leaving SOLDIER had been for him. Jessie didn't know what to make of Kunsel's words, hearing SOLDIER being spoken about in that way just didn't fit a place in her brain, they were the enemy... right?. First the Turks and now SOLDIER... she didn't know how she felt anymore.

Barret seemed unconvinced by the exchange but an icy glare from Tifa dared him to speak so he settled on quietly grumbling under his breath instead.

They continued on, passing through training rooms, lounges and locker rooms for SOLDIER personnel along the way. They didn't come across a single living soul and though it should have been a relief it only served to heighten Jessie's paranoia that this was a trap or an ambush of some kind. She never thought she'd say this, but she was beginning to wish that they would run into some kind of resistance soon. Her nerves were becoming very raw from this unknowing but the only fight she did end up having was with an office Ficus that managed to startle her when she turned a corner.

They made it all the way to the armory with not so much as an inclination of a fight. Kunsel swiped two different ID cards and un-bolted the heavy door. Stepping into the chamber Jessie stared in awe at the never ending rows of guns, blades and explosives in the room. Among the diverse array of weapons there were a number that were obviously non-Shinra, a large amount of distinctly Wutaiin weaponry was also here. Jessie grimaced as her eyes skimmed along the hilt of a beautifully crafted katana that had a faded red stain from where a once bloodied hand had grasped it.

She searched the room, becoming frantic when everyone else had already found and were now attending to their own weapons.

"Please don't be lost, please don't be lost" she begged under her breath.

When her eyes finally fell on the electro-mag rod cataloged under 'miscellaneous' her shoulders sagged in relief. Reclaiming the weapon she affectionately turned it over in her hands, the sparkling green eyes and devilish grin of a certain red-headed Turk appeared in her mind. She lingered in the moment for a second, clutching the electro-mag close to her body. As she found herself doing ever more frequently these days Jessie eventually shook her head in annoyance to clear her head. She had done many stupid things in her life, but having a dumb crush on a Turk would just about top them all. She mentally emphasized the word 'would' as she absolutely did not fancy a Turk, no matter how attractive they were, she hated Turks... well accept for Cissnei. Following that avenue of thought Her mind began to wonder where Cissnei had gone and whether she was safe or even alive, but Zack's shout interrupted that line of thinking.

"Ok let's go, we climb back up to floor 67 on foot..."

"Bloody bollocks!" Barret cursed

"...we get into the labs, get Aerith safely out of Hojo's hands and then... I'm gonna deal with that maniac once and for all."

It was at those words that Jessie jumped in fright as the armory door slammed forcefully shut behind them. Running to the door they didn't make it in time before the mechanical lock triggered and bolted closed. They were trapped.

* * *

**Chapter 12 Part 2 **\- Compelling acquaintances****

Two failed missions now, perhaps he was getting too old. Well he was only in his mid thirty's, but for a Turk that was like saying you'd made it to a hundred and ten.

Tseng discreetly clenched his teeth as the old president barked furious demands down the phone.

"IF THIS INTRUDER IS NOT CAPTURED IN THE NEXT TEN MINUTES YOU CAN KISS YOUR RANK GOODBYE LIEUTENANT."

Another inaudible pause as the man on the other side probably squeaked out a series of excuses.

"AND I WILL DEAL WITH HEIDEGGER IN DUE COURSE. NOW GO GET THIS INTRUDER OR YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF BACK TRAINING WITH THE CADETS! AND POSITION MORE TROOPS OUTSIDE MY OFFICE WHILE YOU'RE AT IT."

The president already had half the buildings security forces stationed outside for his protection. He had even demanded that the Turks be assigned with the demeaning task of guard duty. Tseng would not usually have obliged the old dictator but right now his mind was too preoccupied to think about anything other than how he was going to get Aerith out of here.

The president slammed down the receiver and Tseng picked up on the poorly veiled mask of fear on his face. Looking at the man he noted how Rufus' resemblance to his father was rather striking, add an extra twenty-five years of hatred, a blond mustache and perhaps another eighty-five pounds and they would almost be identical.

Turning his attention towards him at last, the president linked his hands behind his back and began pacing the room in his expensive burgundy suit.

"I had planned to disband the Turks" he stated very matter-of-factly yet Tseng still caught on to the underlying threat in the presidents voice. Being a Turk was not the kind of profession you simply got fired from, not with the kind of secrets they had. The round man walked over to stare out of the full wall length window that looked out across the city.

"However... it seems that perhaps there is still a place for you in Shinra's glorious neo Midgar after all"

Tseng resisted rolling his eyes at the grand sweeping arm movements. He needed to get out of here, he couldn't waste time listening to the presidents delusional rambling all day.

"Was there a purpose for calling me here?"

"... straight to business, perhaps one of the only qualities I like about you Tseng"

Uncannily like his son, the president strutted absently across the office, dropped the same peculiar single cube of ice into a glass and poured the same five eighths measure of whiskey.

"Forensics have examined the note that was left at the house and they found DNA prints. We ran them through the database and though a preliminary result showed a match, when we went to pull the file we found that the records had been destroyed".

Finally, something of interest.

"What category did the initial result match to?"

"First class SOLDIER, we still have details on Fair so we know they're not his. Whoever left that note and likely whoever is in this building right now was first class or higher. So now you see my... concern".

_Fear you mean_

If the prints matched a first class then they were left on purpose, they must have wanted them to know. Whatever this game was he didn't want or have time to play it, Tseng felt the urgency to get to Aerith impatiently rise up, it was time to leave.

"I'm going to deal with the intruder" Tseng lied plainly as he stood up and brushed himself down.

"Very good"

It was what the president had wanted to hear. The president smiled with smug satisfaction, truly believing he finally had the Turks dancing to his tune. Tseng exited the president's office without saying another word, his destination... Hojo's lab.

He quietly scoffed in amusement under his breath. The Turks under the presidents thumb?... nothing could be further from the truth.

* * *

**Chapter 12 Part 3 **\- Compelling acquaintances****

"Jessie, Tifa and B, you three stand behind me and Kunsel, this could get messy."

"Can take care er ma'self thanks."

"If we have under estimated some of those explosives..."

Jessie huffed in offense between Zack's words.

"...our bodies have a better chance of handling the force."

"Pfff if tha' milky bar kid over 'ere an' your scrawny ass can handle it, I sure as hell can."

"Barret get behind Zack!" Tifa snapped

Barret reluctantly stepped behind him, grumbling something about women and menstrual cycles.

"Remember, whoever locked us in here could still be on the other side of that door" Kunsel warned.

They had laid a number of explosives up against the hefty metal door and built a barricade formed of empty crates to try to shield them from the blast. The room contained enough explosives to tear down the entire building, so what wasn't propped up against the door was stacked at the far end of the long room.

Jessie had been in her element setting it all up and though Zack had faith in her tech skills that she wouldn't send them sky-high, he still couldn't resist scrunching his eyes shut in apprehension. This could still hurt.

Jessie hit trigger and a short powerful blast kicked the air spitefully out of his lungs. Even though they'd all stuffed their ears with foam peanuts the explosion still made his head ring. The disorientation was strangely welcoming, for a brief moment it knocked the haunting thoughts he carried from his mind. Thoughts of the intruder, the attack on the presidents mansion, Hojo's creatures... this feeling, they all pointed to a terror he'd buried long ago, a long forgotten memory.

_I will... never be a memory_

No matter how many times Zack experienced it, the white screaming pain that threatened to rip his head apart never became any easier to bear. He collapsed to his knees, trying to shake that voice from his head. That voice was only a nightmare, a recollection from a past trauma, that's what he kept telling himself.

He had believed that nothing could be worse than the current agony coursing through his body, it was when the second voice begun that he was proven to be sorely mistaken. Pain that was beyond screaming, pain that was beyond healing, the kind of pain that could snap a person's mind entirely. The second voice was nothing he had heard before and through the blinding agony he could only discern a senseless scattering of words.

"... come... sons... reunion... galaxies"

Zack could see the others startled faced staring down at him, could feel their hands shaking his body and eventually their voices began to sound above the ones in his mind as the pain died down.

"Zack...? ZACK!"

"Jeez wha' the hells wrong with him!?"

"Someone use a restore materia!"

"What... is he having some kind of fit!?

"Wait I think it's stopping."

Kunsel was right, the pain finally receded and the cells in his body that had never reacted so fiercely before began to calm. Eventually he was left staring blankly at four panicked questioning faces.

"Owch", that's all he could embarrassingly muster once he was completely calm and now just feeling awkward.

"OWCH!? Zack you just had a seizure or something! what was that!?" Tifa was hysterical.

"It was just the explosion Teef, rattled me a bit more than I expected but I'm fine."

He didn't want people worrying over him. Yet a small part of him inwardly smiled at the thought that Tifa only got like this when someone she cared about was hurt or in danger.

"Zack... that wasn't from any explosion" Kunsel remarked warily.

He couldn't come up with anything else as the others sat expectantly in silence.

"Tifa."

"What!? What is it!?"

"You're digging your nails into my arm".

"huh?... oh!... I'm sorry"

Tifa's face reddened as she released her fingers from his arm to reveal four indented curved grooves .

Jessie's voice fortunately stopped any further questions being asked, "guys!.. come take a look at this".

Kunsel yanked him to his feet, a frown on his face as his ever working mind still tried to work out what the episode was all about. Kunsel always had a way of figuring things out and Zack didn't quite know why, but he didn't want him to, so he threw Kunsel an unconvincing smile.

"Pup?... wha' the frick is tha' s'posed ta' mean?"

Zack's heart skipped a beat. Turning to see what Barret and Jessie were both looking at he froze, feeling the blood drain from his body, suddenly relying on Kunsel to keep him on his feet. There was writing carved in long clean slashes along the wall that made his heart climb into his throat as every horrifying nightmare over the last four years came together in that one moment. Four short words that tormented him with a truth he could not bear to face. Four words...

_Hojo is mine pup._

* * *

**Chapter 12 Part 4 **\- Compelling acquaintances****

A copy-cat, that's what this had to be. Heaven knows... 'he' had had his fair share of fanatics and impersonators in the past, and the fact that Zack had become nicknamed as 'pup' by Angeal, Genesis and 'him' was not uncommon knowledge. He would not yet believe that 'he' was still alive or even admit that 'he' still had control over his mind.

_Then why can't you even think his name right now?_

So caught up in his thoughts, the next string of battles and stairs that obstructed them on their way back to floor sixty-seven passed in a blur. With their weapons back it was pretty light work. Before he knew it they ascended the last step and had arrived at their destination.

"Any o'ya need rescuin' from anythin' that ain't the ground floor in the future can kiss my..."

"Barret!" Tifa and Jessie chorused

"Aw'right aw'right... was only jokin'... yo porcupine, where'd ya' get tha' card from anyhow."

"Rufus Shinra gave it to me."

"Damn, he really hates his own dad tha' much 'ey?"

"Seems so."

"Tha's messed up... then again if tha' rat was my old man I'da killed him years ago."

"This is riveting an all but this isn't helping us get Zack's girlfriend back" Kunsel interjected.

_Aerith.. his girlfriend..._

It sounded perfect... in that moment he realised that's exactly what he wanted her to be. Though he would prefer it if she heard it from him instead of Kunsel first.

"Ummm before we do get her and you say something, me and Aerith aren't actually together so..."

"Really!? but you're dating again right?!"

He scratched the back of his head, "Well... yeah kinda... I don't know..." he gave up with a sigh, "just don't say anything ok?"

"Sure.. whatever.. it's just not like the great Zack Fair to be so shy around girls is all" Kunsel ruffled Zack's hair with a laugh.

"Shy!?... I'm not shy!?" he spluttered ducking away from the spike flattening hand.

"It's a bit of a long story."

He blinked at Jessie's sudden addition to the subject.

"Oh come on Zack, Aerith is mad for you and you're mad for her but you both keep putting imaginary obstacles in the way. It's suuuupper obvious."

More absent-minded blinking.

"Really? what did she say?"

Jessie raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips, telling him she wasn't going to give away anything Aerith had told her in private.

"Ok ok.. let's just focus on getting Aerith out of here, we sneak through the labs keeping a low profile, staying hidden. I know there's an elevator on the other side that can take us up to where Hojo is probably keeping Aerith"

"Elevator! Hell yeah! Now we talkin'!"

"Shhh keep it down, the labs are usually pretty silent."

"Zack are you still going to kill Hojo?" Tifa asked with a worried expression as she tugged to secure her spiked leather gloves on each hand.

He nodded grimly.

"Ok.. just be safe"

He gave Tifa a falsely confident grin.

"Don't worry about it, safe's my middle name."

"Actually it's..."

Zack dove at Kunsel clamping a hand over his mouth.

"Don't you dare!"

Kunsel made a muffled noise that sounded like 'fine'.

"Right... let's go."

The moment Zack swiped the keycard and stepped into the Shinra science department, that nauseous wave of sterile fumes hit him again. God he hated that smell, possibly as much as he hated the smell of raw mako which also lingered in the air.

They crept through the labs, ducking every so often as the occasional white coat clad scientist shuffled past. From the way everyone on this floor seemed to walk around with their noses turned down at charts and notepads, they could probably have casually strolled through and still gone unnoticed.

Passing by the room packed with computers flashing and beeping long cryptic coding was the most bearable. The rows of horrifying medical instruments gleaming menacingly along each wall, whose purpose was beyond sane imagining was not so easy. Darting passed a window that lead to a room filled with caged live animals and cabinets of jars containing various bodily parts took the final straw.

"This place is terrible!" Jessie whispered looking ill, her shaking hand pressed against the stack of crates they'd crouched behind to steady herself.

"I say once we got Aerith back, we burn this whole fuckin' place to tha' ground" Barret spat.

"We can't, not with all those poor animals in here, look, like that one over there" Tifa pointed around the corner she was peering from.

Taking a look Zack could see the hind of what looked like a large red dog or lion caged inside a tall glass tube that connected to the ceiling. Seeing the coast was clear Zack moved closer to get a better look, a flick of a long red tail, the tip of which was engulfed in flames made him pause. It had sensed him. The creature turned and though this was not the time for absent curiosity he couldn't stop looking at the creature. It's face was strong and menacing with a narrow mane a marginal shade lighter than the rest of its coat, that crested from its head to its shoulders. Two quirky feathers were threaded into the mane and a number of black markings he couldn't discern from this angle ran along its side. One eye was almost completely shut from what appeared to be a nasty injury that had scared the area. It's other eye fixed squarely on him, the black and golden orb stared in what seemed to be far more than simple-minded observation. He could only compare it to being stared at by the hazel eyes of Kunsel or Cissnei, eyes that betrayed an intelligent mind methodically processing a series of assessments. It was analyzing him!

Then the thudding began, a loud beating thud of a heart, slowly growing louder as all other senses began to dim and the creatures penetrating stare faded out of sight. Zack began to feel his feet being moved to each pump of that pulsing heart as something pulled him across a void. The next thing he saw was a small circular window centered in a ovular metal chamber, everything in the peripheral faded into darkness as if he was staring down a dark tunnel. The glow spilling from the porthole was the only light, it called to him and he offered no resistance to it. Reaching out he placed a hand against the cool metal casing, a sharp surge of something indescribable made him recoil at first, it could have been a sound, a pulse, a smell, a taste, a sensation, he couldn't tell. A soft gentle cry of 'help me' called out to him in a familiar voice. With a panicked urgency he peered through the window and searched into the green murky depths of swirling mako. The beating heart had grown so loud it hurt, pounding against his skull. A face began to clear in the acidic pools and the beating crashed to one last deafening stop in time with his own as Aerith's face emerged from the that instant he knew the true meaning of fear had been lost to him until this moment. Her eyes were closed and the usually fresh glow of her skin had turned deathly pale as soft curls swam weightlessly around her. Staring in horror Zack watched as the mako contaminated and corroded her body, suddenly her eyes snapped open, emerald orbs screaming to him for help. Without a second thought his hand grabbed the buster sword in soundless terror and swung at the machine to set her free.


	13. True acceptance

**Chapter 13 Part 1- True acceptance  
**

No matter how many deep breaths Zack took his hands would not stop shaking. He thought he had bore witness to every horror this dying planet had to offer, yet none of them even came close to seeing Aerith... his Aerith trapped inside that tank. The voices of the others buzzed in the background but their words were meaningless as nothing but the image of Aerith's beauty being mutilated before his eyes haunted him.

It had been a trick. Whatever it was in that tank it had made him see her in place of the headless creature that had really lurked there the second time he looked. It had wanted him to set it free and if it hadn't been for Kunsel's sword crashing against his he very well would have.

_Jenova..._

The name engraved on the chamber door meant something, somewhere in some dark recess of his memories he knew that name but he was too scared to go search for it. No one can ever describe how it feels to be too afraid to explore your own memories in fear of what may be uncovered, of the truths that hid there. It was like being a prisoner in his own brain.

Zack sat with his head dropped between his knees grasping the sides of his face, trying to reign some control back in, trying to bury Jenova's voice. Even now he could sense Jenova reaching out to him, angrily fighting for a way to be let in. It took every ounce of will power to disregard her now furious shouts, knowing he had but to pay her the slightest attention and he would once again lose jurisdiction over himself.

It took Barret's loud booming voice to partially bring him back to the outside world.

"Damn it, get ya'self ta'gether man!"

Zack blinked once, then twice, gazing at the big man like he was the first human he had ever seen. It unnerved Barret but at least the kid wasn't sitting there looking like a ghost anymore. He had never been great with words, but the way Zack stared at him with his full attention it made it seem like Zack was relying on his next words to bring him back to reality. Looking over to Jessie, Tifa and that new SOLDIER punk for inspiration they seemed just as clueless as him on what to say. So he went with what came to mind.

"Quit actin' like a pussy an' get ya' ass up"

Ok so it might not have been the most considerate line to run with but it seemed to work. The faintest flicker of a grin came and went across Zack's face and the distant glazed look in his eyes faded. Barret was relieved, though he would sooner have his other arm removed before saying it, he couldn't help but admit he liked having the kid around.

Zack looked up to see Tifa's gloved hand outstretched towards him, taking it she pulled him to his feet with an assuring smile. Jessie placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him and Kunsel handed him the buster sword, in that moment Zack felt overcome with appreciation for the four loyal companions around him. All Zack's life his one goal had been to become the best SOLDIER that ever lived, seeking fame and glory, never relying on anyone or anything. It dawned on him just how much he had now changed as a person, as without the others and without the strength they gave him, he could not have done this alone.

"Let's go get Aerith back" he said with grateful conviction making Jenova hiss with rage from the shadowy corner of his mind he had buried her voice. Tifa, Barret, Jessie and Kunsel nodded together in determined agreement. His friends would help him rescue Aerith and once she was back in his arms he would never let her go or distance himself from her again. He would never allow what Jenova had shown him to become reality, they were not going to do to Aerith what they had done to him and Cloud, he would make sure of that even if it cost him his life.

Kunsel marched towards the elevator but Zack quickly placed a halting hand against his shoulder.

"No one in Shinra has spotted you yet, you can turn back now, you've helped us more than enough. I know you still believe in SOLDIER and I don't expect... no... I don't want you to throw it all away"

"Hey are you trying to claim all the recognition for yourself again?" the SOLDIER laughed.

"Kunsel I'm being serious"

"I know Zack... I know... but it's my choice and I'm staying, besides I feel I have more chance of helping SOLDIER by sticking with you guys. I know you don't believe it Zack, but I have a feeling that your time in SOLDIER is not yet at an end"

He didn't quite know what to make of those words so he simply nodded, he had no intention of re-joining SOLDIER... yet there was something in Kunsel's expression. If he was honest he was just secretly relieved that Kunsel was sticking with them.

The group moved towards the elevator all the while under the ever watchful stare of the red lion creature who had been watching intently the entire time. Tifa turned before reaching the elevator to stare at it once more, she felt drawn towards the animal for some reason. Why she had this strong urge to try to rescue the poor thing was fairly uncharacteristic, she had never been an especially big animal lover before. That was just it though, with the eerily intelligent look the creature had in its eye, it made it seem like it was a person and not an animal inside the glass prison. Perhaps she was going crazy. Throwing logic out the window Tifa stepped over and placed one hand against the tube.

"Were gonna come back and get you out of here"

_Great, now she was talking to animals as well, hopefully the others didn't hear that._

"Teef come on let's go!" Jessie called from the elevator.

She was about to turn from the animal but what she thought was the smallest hint of a nod from its head made her silently gasp.

"Yo Tifa! wha's tha' big hold up ey?"

She shook her head rigorously as if to rid herself of a hallucination.

"Err nothing... coming"

_Keep it together Lockhart._

* * *

**Chapter 13 Part 2 **\- True acceptance****

Aerith had suffered almost every indignity that she could imagine, swarms of scientists had been and gone, observing her and scribbling notes. Fortunately, besides the tattoo none of them had touched or done anything physically to her, not that the odious black mark wasn't enough. During her time in humiliating confinement she had began to think things over, how she acted towards Zack that morning back at the bar, how the others were, where they all were and whether they were safe. Then she thought more about Biggs and Wedge and how they had sarcrificed themselves for her, it now made her entire existence feel like it was on borrowed time. They were both dead and so were the people of sector seven, all dead because of her and Shinra's belief she could lead them to the promised land. In truth she had no idea whether the place even existed let alone where it was, she only knew from story that when the Cetra had fulfilled their duty to the planet they would return to the promised land, a land of supreme happiness. If such a place did exist, she was sure it would be as far away from this place as possible.

As time went on her thoughts began to turn to resentment, the planet laid all this expectation upon her, yet what did it ever give in return? With all the suffering, all the pain and all the death it allowed to go on in the world, why should she defend it? Allowing her to be caged and branded like an animal and then not even having the decency to speak to her in a language she could understand or make any sense of. For a fleeting moment the thought crossed her mind that even if she did know the way to the promised land she would tell it to Shinra, with a pang of guilt that thought left as quickly as it arrived.

"WE ARE READY TO BEGIN!"

Hojo's hideous screech startled her from her pondering. The six or so scientists scattered around the room left quickly, leaving only Hojo and one other man who was standing on a far platform near some kind of control's tower.

Panic renewed Aerith climbed to her feet while Hojo positioned himself on the walkway leading to her prison, a conceited smirk on his face.

"Why do you appear so frightened my dear? Do you not realize that we are about to make scientific history here today? You should feel nothing but privilege to offer yourself to the service of my pure genius!"

Aerith could only watch helplessly at the insane conviction in the scientists hideously cruel face, wanting nothing more than for this all to end.

"Then why don't you just get it over with!" she cried, "it can't be worse than what you've already done to me!"

"hahahaha... ahahahahahahaha... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

She cowered away trembling as the mans hysterical cackling escalated into uncontrollable shrieks of hilarity. Aerith clamped her hands to her ears as the piecing volume became unbearable, so she hardly heard it when a shout came from the other side of the room.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Zack already had the buster sword drawn, making a beeline straight for Hojo he planned on ending this right now. Seeing Aerith caged like that killed any remaining leniency he might have had for the psychopath.

"Uh uh uhhh.. I wouldn't do that if I were you, you wouldn't want to harm our specimen now would you"

Hojo indicated to a person who dashed into what looked like a large controls tower, Zack hesitated.

"That's right boy, my associate here has but to press a single button and the specimen will be terminated"

"She's not a specimen you creep! she's a human being!" Jessie snapped, a spark of electric dancing off the electro-mag rod.

"Hmm outsiders" Hojo mused as if only just noticing them.

"Ha! tha's right! should'a noticed sooner freak!" Barret's arm was ready to shoot the second he got the chance.

The scientist sighed, "there are so many frivolous things in this world"

Zack surveyed the control tower, he could launch the buster sword up there before the operator could press the button that Hojo was threatening Aerith's life with. That plan only worked on the premise that the glass surrounding that tower was not made of anything abnormally strong, a risk he was not prepared to take.

A shadow flicked past the far wall to his right and for the first time he noticed that only Jessie, Tifa and Barret were behind him, Kunsel had stayed hidden and was on the move towards the tower. Now if he could just keep the lunatic busy.

"So what's the plan? what are you going to do to Aerith?"

"Aerith is it? what a ridiculous name, I much prefer specimen fourteen personally. Perhaps even more than I prefer specimen thirteen" Hojo chuckled darkly, "how about we bring them both in and decide?"

Hojo nodded to the operator in the tower who pressed a button, triggering a section of the floor in Aerith's prison to descend into the ground below.

"What are you doing?! what's specimen thirteen?!" Zack yelled.

"Specimen thirteen is the reason I did not kill this stupid girl. You see after discovering that her Cetra DNA was inferior to her mothers by a margin of eighteen percent, I approximated the research would take around one hundred and twenty years to fully collate, well beyond the lifetime of the specimen"

"Stop calling her that!" Tifa lunged forward but stopped when Hojo's hand went up, signalling to the controls operator in warning.

"Then why are you doing this?", Zack's eyes moved to check if Kunsel was in position yet.

"You see specimen thirteen is gifted with exceptionally long life. By breeding these two species we can create one that could withstand our research for a long time! ahahahahah! it is genius!"

Jessie gasped in shock, none of the stories or rumors about the scientist did justice in describing just how mentally disturbed this man was.

"You can't do that! besides you won't even get to see it for yourself! you'll be long dead before then as well!" she cried.

Hojo's face dropped into a frighteningly sinister in-human grin, "Well... we'll see about that"

Suddenly Aerith's scream drew everyone's attention, the platform had returned and with it it had brought the red lion creature from the ground below. The animal began growling and snarling at Aerith with its haunches raised about to pounce, long sharp fangs that seemed nearly impossible to fit inside the creature's head gleamed dangerously.

"AERITH!.. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? IT'S GOING TO KILL HER!, Zack ran towards the chamber.

"Like I already told you boy, I am lending a helping hand to two endangered species on the brink of extinction" Hojo crooned, "if I don't help, these animals will disappear"

Aerith dodged the creatures attacks, running around the cage before banging on the glass in fright, "Zack, help!"

Kunsel had finally scaled the tall platform leading to the controls room, sneaking in behind the operator he dropped his heavy four and a half foot Claymore onto the mans shoulder.

"Switch it off" he ordered.

"Eek!... please don't kill me! I'm only doing what Hojo tells me!"

"Switch it off" kunsel repeated, nicking a small cut in the mans neck.

"Ahh! I can't! I swear! the operation has already started, it cannot be stopped until it's complete!"

Kunsel knew when someone was lying to him, he smashed the hilt of his Claymore against the back of the operators head knocking him unconscious. Unfortunately this man was telling the truth.

"The door can't be opened" he called down to the others.

"Screw it! I'm gettin' tired o' this shit!... Aerith! stand back!"

Barret jumped in front of the glass prison and trained his gun arm at the door.

"NO! STOP!" Hojo screeched

Barret opened fire, bullets rattled loudly against the tube until a blindingly bright light filled the chamber.

"AERITH!" Zack cried, experiencing the same fear he had earlier when Jenova tricked his mind.

"Wha... what have you done?! Oh my precious specimens!" Hojo ran to press his face against the glass door, trying to see into the tube.

The chamber door hissed open and the lion creature pounced out in a flash of red, pinning Hojo to the floor with a startled cry. Zack didn't care as he sprinted into the chamber, the bright light died down and Zack surged with emotion at the sight of Aerith huddled in the corner with her hands covering her face, she seemed so small and delicate. Crossing the cell he knelt down, gently taking her face in his hands and guiding her face away the floor.

"Aerith you're safe now, I'm here"

She lifted her beautiful emerald eyes to meet his and the instant they locked with his glowing blue, all the fear, all the love and all the yearning he had felt for her in the last turbulent twenty-four hours peaked into that one moment. His lips were against hers before he knew it, passionately repairing the unbearable separation that had grown between them. Her reaction seemed startled and hesitant at first but then she opened up to him, returning and deepening their kiss into a moment that was beyond perfection. Of course Zack had kissed girls in the passed, he'd even stolen a sly peck from Aerith once when they dated four years ago, but none of those were ever like this. This had none of that typical nervousness or awkwardness that first kisses usually had. No, this felt so natural and so right and he knew that nothing could or would ever hope to compete. Tasting every inch and corner of her mouth his senses went into overdrive, his hands were in her hair, exploring her face, her back, her hands, her waist, feeling for confirmation that she was real this time, that this moment was real.

Aerith's world began to spin, Zack was kissing her! he was really kissing her! Euphoria washed over her as a moment she had hungered for for years dissolved the terror and hurt she had felt into a distant memory. She no longer cared that they were still kneeling in the lab or that they were still in danger, right now nothing but her and her bodyguard existed. Hours or seconds could have passed by, she didn't know or care as the soft contact of his lips and the warmth of his embrace ushered away even the burning sensation of the tattoo on her side. The feel of his hands on her body and the tenderness of his affectionate kiss was a ecstasy she never wanted to end.

"Aerith I'm so..", Zack tried to break apart breathlessly to speak but she wasn't finished.

"Don't stop" she whispered into his lips pulling him back in.

After more seconds of incredible bliss he began to speak again between bouts of kisses that spread from her lips to her cheeks, nose, neck.

"I am..*kiss*.. sorry... *kiss* I pushed you... *kiss*.. away *kiss*... I.. *kiss* love you Aerith"

He sounded so frightened yet so completely adoring at the same time and it set her senses ablaze. She purred with her eyes shut, drowning in his voice and angling her face to spread the sensation of his welcome kisses.

"No Zack I'm sorry how I..." her returned apology caught in her throat and her eyes snapped open as she realized what he had said at the end of that. He said he loved her! She pulled away stunned, gazing into his mako bright eyes and gasping for breath. This surely had to be a dream, he had just said he loved her and it was the singularly most wonderful thing she had ever heard.

Even as her eyelashes turned into floodgates against a growing pool of tears Zack did not regret fulfilling his promise to tell her he loved her for a second. Her full and faintly reddened lips curved into a heavenly smile of concentrated joy which he could not resist going back for one more plunder of. Lips never leaving his she now began to speak.

"I lo.."

Before she could return those truly heart-felt words she dearly wanted to speak, there was an ear-piercing yelp. Zack jumped alert immediately, rolling he grabbed the buster sword which he had absently dropped at the door. The red lion creature that had been pinning Hojo to the floor by the neck with its razor-sharp teeth, bolted away from the scientist as a painful shock of electric from a concealed hand-held taser burned its underside.

Tifa ran over to the creature while Jessie and Zack ran for the scientist who was scuttling away towards the nearby exit, he was surprisingly quick. Barret fired shots after the man only succeeding in taking a small cut out of Hojo's arm. Kunsel dove from the high platform above, slashing the Claymore in a downward strike he too narrowly missed, cutting through the end of the escaping mans trailing lab coat.

Diving for the console past the exit threshold, Hojo swiped a security card and two heavy metal doors clanged shut behind him as a security alarm started screaming throughout the entire Shinra building.

"Damn it!" Zack cursed. The deranged scientist had escaped.

"Hojo set of the alarm, SOLDIER will be here any minute, we need to go"

Zack would have nodded in agreement if it hadn't have been for the fact that the lion creature had been the one who said it.

"It spoke! Teef it spoke!", Jessie clung to the martial artists arm in surprise.

"I'll speak as much as you want later, miss"

Deciding the creature was no threat Zack approached him, 'him' being decided by the distinctly male sounding voice.

"What's your name?"

"Hojo has named me Red thirteen, a name with no meaning whatsoever to me. Call me whatever you wish"

"Ok then Red, do you know a way out of here?"

Red nodded.

"What are ya'?!" Barret asked gruffly, receiving an elbow to the rib from Tifa.

"An informed question, but difficult to answer. I am what you see"

Red leaped from the causeway leading from the broken glass prison, landing next to Aerith she let out a frightened yelp.

Red turned to the girl "I apologize for what happened back there, I was merely acting to throw Hojo off guard.."

Aerith would have responded but she found herself completely speechless, after all, how often did you come across a talking... whatever Red was.

"He's right we need to go"

"Kunsel?"

She had met Kunsel several times in the past, he'd been a good friend of Zack's, but she had never actually seen him without his helmet on. Her attention was immediately drawn to his astonishingly lumionous blue and golden eyes, she had never seen anything like them before.

"Nice to see you again Aerith. Were a pretty big crowd now, we should split into two groups or we'll be noticed"

"Ok" Zack agreed, "I'll go with Aerith, Jessie and Red. Tifa, Barret and Kunsel meet us back on floor sixty-four, it's probably still deserted"

"Hey hotshot! who made you in charge?"

Barret didn't even need to look at Tifa and Jessie to know they were giving him 'the look'.

"... ye ok wha' ever let's just get outta here" he resigned.

Splitting into the two groups they left the lab via separate exits, all the while the alarm screamed a warning that company was on its way.

* * *

**Chapter 13 Part 3 ** **\- True acceptance******

Tseng had observed the entire encounter in the laboratory from the balcony above, watched as Wallace destroyed the glass dome, watched as Hojo barely escaped in time, watched as Zack kissed Aerith...

His knuckles were white from gripping the railing so hard in anger. Not because he was jealous, he was beyond that sort of nonsense, but because Zack had once again compromised his plan to save Aerith. At least he had a plan, the idiot couldn't possibly hope to escape the Shinra building now after the alarm had been set of.

Once again Zack would look like the hero but really he had put Aerith in even more danger now than when she was trapped inside Hojo's test tube. At least there she wasn't at risk of being shot during some foolish escape attempt.

His best chance of getting her out of here alive was to recapture them and then proceed with the original plan. He would have to arrest them and for a second time he would seem like the villain in all this. Once again Aerith would give him that hurt look of betrayal, but that didn't matter as long as she was safe.

He heaved a quiet sigh, what ever happened to the days where roughing up slum rats who tried to inhabit Aerith's church was the biggest problem the flower girl gave him? Now she would never look at him the same way she did back then.

He shook his head in annoyance at the trivial thoughts of caring what anyone thought about him, he'd sold that part of his soul to the devil a long time ago.

Flipping open his PHS he dialed a collective call to the rest of the Turks.


	14. Turbulent passions

* * *

**Chapter 14 Part 1- Turbulent passions  
**

"Why?"

The quiet heart-rending word was accompanied by one single tear that snaked down Aerith's cheek.

Zack's black leather glove caught the liquid pain in mid flow with a gentle stroke, making Tseng's teeth clench even harder.

_He had always been the one to dry them, never to cause them_

"Do... you really hate me this much Tseng? did you ev..." Aerith's wretched voice hitched terribly between words. "Did you... ever really even care about me?".

If ever an award were to be given for the best disguise of ones emotions, despite the torrent of anguish coursing through them, then Tseng surely deserved it.

He spat his next words at Zack, ignoring Aerith was gonna be the only way he would keep it together.

"It must have been a thrill for you?... did you enjoy it?", hand him the award for coldest most ruthless voice while you're at it.

Zack said nothing.

"You can take me, but please let the others go" Aerith beseeched of him.

With his ever-growing dislike for the ex-SOLDIER he was almost tempted to oblige and allow the other three to ride the elevator down to the death squads waiting for them below. But while he didn't give a damn about the others he didn't want to burden Aerith with the pain that their deaths would bring her either.

Red growled from the floor and Zack looked positively murderous, but neither of them were in any kind of position to offer any resistance. Not as long as he had the red-head girl at gunpoint, Tseng had grabbed her just as she'd been the last to board the elevator.

"Would you press up please?" Rude asked politely, standing with arms crossed in his usual stoic demeanor.

Jessie squirmed in Tseng's grip, she knew she should feel frightened or panicked right now but she didn't. Instead she only felt disappointed and she despised herself for it, disappointed that it was Rude who had entered the elevator instead of...

 _Stop it!,_ she hissed to herself in frustration.

Rude cuffed Zack and Aerith then looked perplexed at what to do with Red, a rather impressive feat to pull off from behind sunglasses.

"Leave it" Tseng ordered before turning his gun on Zack, "now press up".

* * *

**Chapter 14 Part 2 **\- Turbulent passions****

Being marched into president Shinra's office in single file, Zack kept his body close to Aerith. He wasn't going to risk any of them getting shot but if they tried taking Aerith away from him, then he would make a move.

He exhaled in defeat at seeing Tifa, Barret and Kunsel already cuffed with Elena looking unmistakably proud of herself and Reno... well Reno was looking rather odd. The Turk seemed different compared to usual and Zack did not miss the subtle exchange that flicked between him and Jessie. First it seemed like a half-smile passed between them but it quickly faded as Reno dropped his head, unable to maintain the contact in what looked like shame. Connecting this with Jessie being in possession of Reno's electro-mag rod spelt out a very dangerous problem Zack would need to deal with.

"They got you too?" Zack stated rather pointlessly.

Barret snarled "Yeah SOLDIER boy over 'ere lead us right into 'em! told ya' he was no good"

"Can you not see I am in handcuffs as well!?" Kunsel defended himself.

"Excuse me but I'm a busy man"

President Shinra cleared his throat as he stood from behind the large desk raised up on a platform, it looked like something you would find on a spaceship in a sci-fi movie.

"Hey old-timer, no-one gives a damn bout hearin' another one ya' speeches so can it!"

The president eyed Barret venomously and stepped down from his desk to wander over to him.

"You know, I think I will clear a spot in my schedule so I can watch your execution personally"

"Ha! we'll have busted out again long before then foo!", Barret spat on the president's shoe.

The president's blonde chevron moustache twitched with irritation and he went to ignoring the leader of AVALANCHE, making Barret grin with satisfaction. Zack shifted in warning when the contemptible man turned his focus on Aerith.

"So much aggravation over such a seemingly insignificant child, how quaint"

Linking his hands together behind his back the president strolled absently around the room, pausing at various spots to speak. First he stopped near to one of the two large marble columns either side of his desk.

"She's the last surviving ancient don't you know.."

Then to a drinks cabinet mounted into a wall, one cube of ice, five-eighths of whiskey.

"They called themselves Cetra and lived thousands of years ago"

Finally back to them.

"Now they are just a forgotten page in history"

"Cetra... you're a survivor of the Cetra?" Red looked up to Aerith who nodded meekly in response.

Aerith's cheeks burned as everyone stared at her, why did it always feel like she should be ashamed of her heritage? She stared at her feet, wishing that a black hole would appear to swallow her up. Zack must have noticed as he edged closer until his shoulder came in contact with hers, the connection brought her great comfort, assuring her he would protect her from any hurt this world had to offer.

"The Cetra can show us the way to the promised land, I'm expecting a lot out of her", the president continued, eyeing Red with curiosity.

"The promised land, isn't that just a legend?", Kunsel had heard the tales even as a small boy growing up in Kalm.

"Perhaps... even so, it's far too appealing not to pursue. It's been said the land is so fertile there would be no need for reactors. The abundant mako would flow out on its own. That is where Neo-Midgar will be built, Shinra's new glory"

"Pah! Quit dreamin'!" Barret sneered

"Oh really? Don't you know? these days all it takes for your dreams to come true is money and power", the president chuckled to himself then turned to look at Zack.

"Well... it's been twenty-four hours and I'm still here Fair" Shinra mocked with amusement.

"Twenty-one actually", the darkness in Zack's voice quickly wiped the smile of the presidents face.

"Well, that will be all for our little meeting" Shinra called dismissively as he went to gaze out of the city window.

"Come on! outta his way" Elena piped up, obviously trying to get noticed by the president. Clearly she didn't yet know about the double-edged sword relationship between the Turks and Shinra yet.

The Turks filed behind them and escorted them towards the exit. Tseng gave Zack a short push while Elena tried to place a hand on Tifa's shoulder which was quickly shoved of. Reno took the opportunity to lay his hand against the small of Jessie's back which made her toes curl and she couldn't resist leaning into it.

"Hold it! I gotta lot ta' say to you!"

President Shinra watched as Rude physically dragged a resisting Barret from the room, a look of boredom on his stoney face.

"If there is anything else... talk to my secretary"

* * *

**Chapter 14 Part 3 **\- Turbulent passions****

_In prison... again._

Zack was sure that if he had been anyone's bodyguard other than Aerith's he would have been fired a long time ago by now. At least this time they had placed him in a cell back on floor sixty-seven with her this time. After a broken wrist and two pairs of bruised ribs, SOLDIER seemed to get the message that he wasn't going anywhere without her. They slammed the door shut behind him.

"Tseng that no good lousy.." he quit that sentence mid flow, remembering how it made Aerith feel."...Sorry".

He thumped the back of his idiot head against the wall and slid down it to perch himself on the floor, giving Aerith the single bed.

"Aerith I'm gonna..."

Before he could finish, Aerith had wordlessly crossed the room towards him, kneeling down she curled herself into his lap, linking her fingers around his neck and resting her head on his chest.

"You came for me, that's all I need" she whispered lovingly.

They sat in blissful silence for a long time, soaking one another in as he wrapped his arms around her, returning the hold. It didn't matter that the wall was just as uncomfortable as he had remembered, it could have been a bed of nails for all he cared. The sensation of her fingers stroking his neck, her hot breath against his collar-bone, the curves of her body pressed against him, It was almost like he had fallen into a dreamlike state.

"Zack"

"Mmm?"

She sat upright to stare him in the face, captivating him in a way that only she ever could.

"I didn't get a chance to say it earlier" she chewed her lip nervously, leaving an enticing gleam of glistening moisture across the surface.

She took his head in her hands and began tracing soft lines, inspecting every inch of his face, forever ingraining every feature and perfect imperfection into her mind.

"I love you"

The words fell with more meaning than any she had ever spoken before in her life.

"I truly love you"

She felt the need to reiterate it out of fear that he might think she was only saying it because he had said it first. That wasn't the case, she said it because nothing was more true in this world. This time when they kissed she was in control, rising up to him she glided her lips across his in a gentler but no less passionate exchange of affection. Zack allowed her to remain in control and it set her body ablaze with desire, her gentle pecks slowly turned into a fervent grinding of lips and Zack was momentarily surprised by Aerith's sudden fiery and slightly aggressive transition. Getting lost in the intensity she draped her legs either side of his as he remained seated on the floor, kneeling she pressed her body against his. He was unlocking a primal side to her that she never knew existed, a few hours ago she would never have dreamed of slipping her tongue into his mouth and yet that's exactly what she was now doing.

Zack groaned before pulling away as the heat between them continued to escalate.

"Is this the best place to do this?" he panted.

Regaining her control it registered in Aerith's mind where they still were and how heated that had become. Now she was blushing.

"Sorry.."

Touching their foreheads together they began to laugh light-heartedly, both profoundly happy despite the circumstance they were in.

"You are surprisingly foxy miss Gainsborough, I think I might need to keep a closer eye on you"

"No objections here" she continued to laugh.

"Though if I don't get off of this floor soon I think I'll be watching you from a wheelchair"

She jumped up of him so quickly she almost lost her balance, she had completely forgotten they were still down there.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry!"

Zack stood up and arched his back with a big stretch, three very profound cracks making her wince.

"So does this count as the date I owe you?" she giggled

"No chance" he beamed back with his brilliantly white smile.

Walking across the small room Zack sprung onto the bed, linking his hands behind his head and letting out a sigh of relief. Aerith stood rather awkwardly in the middle of the room not quite sure what to do with herself. Opening one eye Zack grinned and patted down beside him, delighted Aerith ran over and threw herself onto the area to cuddle up next to him. She rested her head on him in the spot she was quickly discovering she loved most, just beneath his chin, and linked her arms around his torso.

Zack inhaled the scent of Aerith's warm chestnut hair, wondering to himself how it was even possible for it to still smell like her church of flowers. He was pretty sure his smelt like a bonfire at the moment.

"Say Aerith, is that a pearl in your hair? it's pretty"

Aerith looked up, unable to believe she hadn't told him about her mothers white materia before.

"It was my mothers, my biological mother that is, she gave it to me before she died. She told me it was very special materia that I needed to protect"

Gently removing the orb form her hair she showed it to him to take a closer inspection.

Zack held the orb up to the little amount of light the room had to offer.

"...I don't know, it's a bit small to be materia, what does it do?... Aha! I knew it, this is the secret of how your hair always smells so nice!"

When Aerith sat upright looking rather downbeat he quickly regretted his joke.

"Aerith I'm..."

"No it's ok Zack, it's just to tell you the truth I don't know what it does or even if it does do anything", She sighed and Zack moved to sit upright beside her. "My mother placed so much emphasis on how important it was and.. well I can't even figure out how it works".

"That's ok, I'll help you figure it out" he offered, pleased to see the instant transition back to happiness in Aerith's face.

"Oh would you!?"

"Totally! I've been around tons of materia in my time, start by telling me everything you know about it so far"

Aerith scanned her thoughts for everything she knew about the white materia.

"Really all I know is what my mother said, that it was important and that it had been passed down by our people, she said that it was the Cetra's duty to safeguard... holy. Yes, that's what she called it in the letter she left me."

"Hmmm holy... well that doesn't sound evil or destructive at least" Zack mused, wanting desperately to help but finding the orb was completely lifeless in his palm with not even the slightest aura of power that could be felt in even the lowest grades of materia.

Aerith was just about ready to give up until a sudden connection that she had not previously made formed in her mind.

"There was... one other thing" she proceeded slowly in thought. "The planet spoke to me earlier, which doesn't happen often as I'm usually the first one to start the connection. It said something about a power being given to the last daughter of Gaia"

Zack nodded encouragingly to her to continue but was truthfully beginning to get lost.

"You see the Cetra were sometimes known as the children of Gaia, I guess that would make me the last daughter right?"

"Yeah I guess", it disturbed him the way she spoke about herself as if she was a different species. "Did it say what this power might be?"

"The planet kinda talks in riddles, but it mentioned something about a 'key to the gateway of the fifth guardian', what do you suppose that is?" she asked feeling hopeful.

"I don't know" he admitted, "It would help if we at least knew what the other four of these 'guardians' were. Perhaps it's a summoning materia as opposed to an elemental materia?.. though I have never heard of an aeon named 'holy' before"

The hope in Aerith's face faded.

"But hey! whatever the guardian is, guardians guard things right? they protect, so that's a good thing?"

"But... Sometimes... the only way to protect is to kill" she whispered mournfully.

Zack had no retort for that, after all wasn't he technically Aerith's 'guardian'? And wasn't he going to execute Hojo and the Shinra executives at the first chance he got to keep her safe?

"Aerith, I'm gonna help you figure out what your mothers materia does I promise" he asserted, caressing the side of Aerith's face with his hand which she nuzzled against.

"Here's a plan, I'll ask Kunsel or Cissnei as soon as I get the chance about it, those two know everything about everything"

Aerith brightened at the suggestion, "that's a great idea!"

Feeling leagues better Aerith shoved Zack's chest playfully with a giggle to lay him back down and resume their position on the bed.

"Woah, hey!... you are full of surprises lately, and that's saying a lot considering I met a talking cat today"

They both laughed in unison until Red's voice came through the wall.

"I can hear you you know"

"Sorry Red!" Aerith chuckled turning red in the face. She could faintly here Barret's voice through the wall as well.

"Aww jeez, why I gotta be stuck in with tha' creepy talkin' lion thing?"

"I can remain silent if that is what you wish?"

"Nah ya ok, it ain't like I fancied sleepin' anyway" Barret grumbled. "So where exactly ya' from?"

There was no response from Red for quite some time.

"Red are you alright?" Aerith called, afraid they'd upset him.

Still no response.

"Fine then sulk" Barret scoffed, "... damn ya' no fun"

Aerith made a note to try to talk to Red some time. After all, who else could relate to being the last of their kind more than him?.

She turned back to settling in comfortably against Zack, being hit by a wave of exhaustion she realized just how tired she really was. Eventually there was just one last nagging thought still keeping her awake.

"Zack.."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'm human?"

"Eh?"

"I mean, just because I'm a Cetra, I'm still human right?"

"Well I sure hope so... I've been kissing you and I don't fancy sprouting a second head overnight"

She shoved him in the shoulder, Zack could always make her laugh even in the worse of situations. He caught her hand mid-assault and held it to his face, gently kissing the tips of her fingers. The pleasurable feeling made her begin to drift peacefully, when her eyelids had grown too heavy to fight anymore and she eventually dropped to sleep, with Zack following her close behind.

* * *

**Chapter 14 Part 4 **\- Turbulent passions****

_...that reminds me..._

"You again?"

_We were always so trusting of everything they said back then..._

"...yeah... Angeal always said I was too trusting"

_...so what's going on between you and Tifa?_

"...I'm not sure."

_...perhaps you should distance yourself from Aerith... before she gets hurt.._

"I promised I'd never do that again..."

. _...you promise a lot of things..._

"This time I'm sticking to it..."

_..._

"I'm... gonna fix this..."

_Well... the door's open, you best get going_

Zack awoke with a strange feeling, it was like he had been kicked out of his own dream by another person. His first thought was to check to see that Aerith was still sleeping peacefully against him, her face in the dark was being sporadically illuminated by a flickering violet light. The source of the light came from a broken electric power line from the outside corridor, spilling in through the door which was...

_Open..._

Slipping out from underneath Aerith he stalked towards the door, made uneasy by the quiet. He had learned never to trust quiet.

_"Soon silence will have passed into legend. Man has turned his back on silence, day after day he invents machines and devices to distract humanity from the essence of life, making us deaf to the voice of the goddess. Embrace silence yet never trust it, for it is the ultimate harbinger of death"_

Back then Zack thought that was simply Genesis' way of telling him to shut up in his usual elaborate lingo. Experience later taught him it was probably the single most valuable lesson Genesis ever gave him.

Staying alert Zack turned out into the corridor, half ready and expecting for an attack. The hall was empty, though an ambush would have been more welcome than the gruesome sight that met him instead. The walls and floors were covered in smears of blood as if something had somehow dragged a bleeding carcass across the ground and half way up the walls. Possibly even more disturbing was that their gear and weapons were left laying in a neat pile in front of his feet. Not daring to waste time asking questions he ran back into the cell to get Aerith.

"Aerith... wake up"

"...whats wrong?" she mumbled groggily sitting up.

"Stay calm ok, but something's wrong, look outside"

She followed him out into the corridor and her inevitable gasp of alarm sounded out. He wasn't however prepared for her to take off running down the hall.

"Aerith! wait!" he chased after her.

Catching up she had stopped at the grisly sight of a SOLDIER laying face down in a pool of blood.

"What did this?!" Aerith cried.

"I'd rather not wait to find out, he should have a key on him"

Rifling through the dead mans pockets he found said key.

"You go wake up the girls, I'll get the others"

Aerith nodded and Zack swiped Tifa and Jessie's door before running straight to Barret and Red's cell.

He could hear Barret whispering as he approached.

"Yo cat thing!, sumin's outside"

"It's Zack" Red replied

"How tha' hell ya' know that?"

"I can smell him"

"Come with me, quickly!" Zack urged entering the room.

"Waheeey! you broke out! good one porcupine", Barret thumped him across the back. "See, wha' I tell ya'? ol' flame tail here's been freakin' out for the last ten minutes bout some danger"

"Red's right, we need to go"

He didn't wait for a reply as he left to go get Kunsel out of the cell they had placed him in alone. This time it was Kunsel's turn to unleash a whirlwind of attacks the moment the door was opened. Two Tifa worthy punches were aimed for his face which he just about managed to block in time, though it still made his palms sting like hell. Thinking about it now he was lucky Tifa was asleep and hadn't attacked Aerith when he unlocked the door for her.

"Christ Kunsel! where'd you learn to swing like that?" he remarked messaging his hands, "if I was a regular guard you could'a killed me"

"No I knew it was you, that's just revenge for getting me locked up" Kunsel jested.

"Woah! Zack! what did you do?" Jessie called stepping out into the hall.

"It wasn't me, someone did this and just left my door open"

"And they just left our weapons out for us too?" Tifa questioned in disbelief

"No human could have done this" Red stated, inspecting the dead SOLDIER's body. "I'll scout ahead"

After they'd all reclaimed their equipment they dashed down the corridor after Red and into the Shinra laboratories. The thought of this place being torn to pieces would have seemed appealing a few hours ago, but no satisfaction could be had from what they saw in the Shinra science labs. Bodies of SOLDIER's and scientist's whose white coats had all but turned to red littered the floor. The only life they came across were battles against disturbingly mutilated specimens that had escaped and were roaming freely, if living is indeed what you could call such abominations.

Eventually they caught up to Red and a chill ran over the entire group at the sight of Jenova's confine that had been savagely ripped apart. Red was the first to speak.

"Jenova... looks like it went to the upper floor using that elevator for the specimens", with that he bounded away and they all followed except Aerith. Zack had to guide her by the hand and she began looking worryingly feint.

"They didn't all deserve this..." she trembled.

"We need to keep going" he pressed gently, pulling her eyes away from the slaughter to look into his. It warmed his heart to see the connection usher away a great deal of the fear from her face as she nodded with reassurance.

Proceeding to the second floor where Aerith had been caged, the trail of blood and bodies picked up again, leading to the stairwell headed for floor sixty-nine.

"What could do something like that?" Jessie breathed.

She was referring to the enormous slashes that littered the walls of the stairs and throughout the reception area on the sixty-ninth floor. They appeared to be the claw marks of a bear, but one at least five times larger than any bear Zack had ever seen before. The grizzly marks lead up to a grand purple lined staircase, all the way up to...

"Floor seventy... Shinra's office... everyone stay alert!" Zack warned.

Readying the buster sword in his grip they burst into the office and Zack had every intention of ending Shinra's life then and there if he found the man. He recoiled in surprise to see someone had already saved him the trouble.

"He's dead!... tha' head of Shinra is dead!" Barret exclaimed, a mix between shock and victory.

President Shinra was slumped face down on his desk, covered in blood that was only evident by the darker patch of red staining the back of the mans mahogany suit. What had killed him would have made Zack's heart stop in terror if deep down he hadn't already known the truth.

He could see Tifa clutching the material of the crop-top between her breasts, knowing that no one knew the pain of that weapon better than her. The seven-foot terrifying life ender Masamune stood proudly as it impaled the lifeless body of the president entirely through the back. The shimmering blade of the most infamous weapon in all of Gaia spoke the conclusive truth that he could no longer fight to deny.

Sephiroth had returned.


	15. Enhanced firepower

**Chapter 15 Part 1- Enhanced firepower**

"..how is this possible?... Zack how is this possible!?"

Jessie had grown to know that very few things in this world truly scared Tifa, so when her voice trembled in fright Jessie couldn't help but feel terrified also.

"Sephiroth... he's alive" Zack murmured, none of the surprise evident in his voice like it was across Tifa's face.

"Sephiroth? who tha' fuck is that?" Barret demanded keeping his gun arm raised at the president's lifeless corpse as if it could spring up at any moment.

"..he's the monster that destroyed my home... that killed my dad..." Tifa quaked beneath Jessie's arm.

"Deep down we knew he was back" Kunsel whispered deep in thought as he walked behind the desk to inspect the sword. Reaching out he wrapped a gloved hand around the hilt of Masamume. The instant he came in contact with the blade he recoiled sharply as the cells in his body reacted violently, causing a slice of pain through his body.

"How did you know?" Jessie asked when no one else did.

Zack answered for Kunsel who seemed momentarily winded by the contact with Masamune.

"SOLDIER are enhanced with mako shots infused with S cells. S cells being the cells belonging to the deadliest weapon Shinra, or more precisely Hojo, ever created... Sephiroth"

"Jeez are we talkin' bout a person or a lab experiment here?" Barret barked becoming agitated, the need to go see Marlene becoming ever more pressing.

"Both" Zack responded, "The higher up in SOLDIER you go the more concentrated the mako shots you are injected with. Eventually first class' have so many S cells they can begin sensing when another first is around. That sense was always strongest when Sephiroth was around"

Zack lowered the buster sword and stared in puzzlement at Kunsel.

"Though how is it you're able to sense him when you're only a second?"

"I turned down first class status but I didn't turn down everything... first class" Kunsel hinted.

Zack raised his eyebrows, that would go some way to explaining the surprising strength behind those punches he had blocked earlier. Though really with the intensity of which Kunsel's eyes glowed Zack should have realized sooner that he was extra enhanced.

Their story telling was interrupted by the sound of Red growling and becoming very alert. A short squeak from behind one of the marble columns gave away the hiding position of a man Zack knew to be Palmer, head executive of the Shinra space program. Position compromised, the small fat balding man attempted to make a dash for the exit but Barret and Zack grabbed him back by the garish dark-yellow suit he wore.

"Don't kill me... p-p-please!" he squealed.

Though Palmer was a greedy little weasel of a man, he had not committed the same atrocities as that of Heideggar and Scarlet to warrant a place on Zack's kill list.

"I'll only kill you if you don't tell me everything you saw" Zack bluffed

Eyes wide in terror Palmer spilled without any hesitation.

"Seph... Sephiroth! I saw Sephiroth!"

"You saw him with your own eyes?" Tifa pressed, hoping the answer would be no.

"Yes! would I lie at a time like this! he said something about keeping Shinra from getting their hands on the promised land! Please, let me live!"

"Yo, if he's tryin' to keep Shinra from gettin' their hands on a loada mako, don't that make Sephiroth the good guy 'ere?" Barret scratched his head in confusion.

In truth Zack had no idea why Sephiroth would want to keep Shinra from getting to the promise land. But one thing he did know was that it was for no selfless good reason.

"No way, Sephiroth is insane, if he wants to stop them from getting to the promised land then he must want it for himself"

"What could he want the promised land for?!" Aerith voice fearingly.

"There's a helicopter approaching" Red interjected in warning, his feline hearing picking up on the choppers blades long before the others.

"Rufus Shinra..." Zack groaned

Barret huffed a sigh, "Aww shit... forgot bout him"

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Palmer squirmed out of their grip and wobbled his way frantically to the exit, back into the Shinra building.

A military helicopter the same model as the one Aerith had been kidnapped in crossed by the city window and slowly descended on to the rooftop landing pad. The distinguishable white suit and bleach blonde hair of Rufus Shinra sat in the window. Zack and the others ran out onto the rooftop through a side door, the cold frigid winds whipping their faces at this dizzying height far above the plate and under the open stormy sky.

The choppers blades span to a halt and the passenger door was booted open by the young, slender and newly appointed president.

"Ahh if it isn't the misfits", Rufus grinned stepping down from the chopper, his polished black shoes clanging distinctly against each metal rail. Zack readied the buster sword, not failing to miss seeing the length of a concealed shotgun in the mans long white coat.

"Perhaps you'd like to be the first to congratulate me on my promotion to president?" Rufus announced with a wave of his hand.

"Ya only president cos ya' ol' man died!" Barret growled like an angry behemoth.

"Correct", Rufus took his time in strolling over to each of them one by one while speaking, savoring his moment in the spotlight and starting with Aerith. "Though I plan on running things very different to my father. You see my father tried control the world with money, that worked for him"

"He likes to make speeches just like his father" Tifa exhaled after Rufus moved along from her to frown down at Red.

He ignored the interruption.

"But, I do things differently" he eyed Kunsel. "I will control the people with fear, it's too much to do it the way the old man did it" emphasizing the word old as he arrived at Barret, making him twitch with anger.

"A little fear will control the minds of the common people, there's no reason to waste good money on them"

"What are you doing here Rufus?" Zack cut off, growing tired of his talk.

"What indeed" Rufus turned his back on them to look over the city. "You see if the board of directors catches wind that I had any involvement with my father's death, the morons could unfortunately see to it that my presidency is rather... short-lived. Your existence therefore is somewhat of an inconvenience to me"

"So? what are you here for?" Zack repeated, readying himself for what was about to come.

Turning Rufus flashed them with a stare of determined hostility.

"To tie up loose ends of course"

Zack instantly moved in response to the threat, Rufus making his intentions quite clear. The sleek silver-barreled shotgun was drawn with one flick of Rufus' white leather rain coat and two powerful and incredibly accurate shots were fired. Zack blocked the brunt of both shots with the flat of the buster sword, the recoil pushing him back so hard his heel turfed up the concrete beneath him.

Catching a firm footing Zack kicked off to bullet towards Rufus to slash the buster sword at the man who summoned a barrier just in time to deflect the blow. Shattering the magic with one blow Zack swung again and Rufus dropped deftly into a floor roll to dodge the attack. In one fluid motion Rufus reloaded the shotgun as he rolled back into a standing position. Swinging the reloaded weapon out into an arm's length grip he pointed the shotgun towards where Aerith and Red were stood.

Everyone froze instantly with weapons raised as time stood still for a moment, the only sound the whistle of the fiercely cold winds lashing around them.

"We both know you could kill me Fair, but we also know that I'll be taking at least one of your little pals with me"

Zack hissed in frustration.

"You know, I wonder how many more times you are going to be put in this situation before you learn that caring for a group of outcasts will eventually be your downfall"

Rufus flicked his gaze momentarily to the shoulder of his coat, scowling at a smudge of dirt it had collected.

"And to think you would have become general to the Shinra army... tragic really"

Rufus backed away towards the helicopter, keeping the shotgun pointed at the others, swinging the focus between people. From Aerith and Red, to Kunsel, to Tifa, to Barret and Jessie, taunting Zack with the truth that he could shoot any one of them before he had a chance to intervene.

"So what happens now?" Zack demanded, noticing from the corner of his eye the pilot in Rufus' helicopter was creeping out of the driver side door.

"You will be dealt with by the two-hundred SOLDIER that are on their way up here as we speak" Rufus commented casually as if he were talking about groceries. Suddenly he became aware that everyone was staring over his shoulder and made to turn but it was too late.

"I don't think so" came a voice as a blade was lifted to his throat, catching him off guard from behind and leaving him no choice but to drop the shotgun. The pilot wore a full black visor that hid their identity but Zack could recognize their voice.

"You're coming with us" the small pilot ordered as they removed their helmet in one motion with the other hand. Flaming orange shoulder length hair fell behind hazel eyes as Rekka was held firm against Rufus Shinra's throat. A chorus of delighted relieved voices cheered her name.

"Cissnei!"

* * *

**Chapter 15 Part 2- Enhanced firepower**

If she said that hearing her name being shouted so cheerily didn't feel nice, Cissnei would be lying. Though she couldn't be focusing on endearments at this moment, right now she needed to keep alert, knowing Rufus was about as slippery as they came and would disarm her if given the opening. The attempt came as expected and she twirled Rekka under Rufus' arm and into her other hand, slashing a tear down the mans jacket in warning to dare try it again. Rufus scowled even more severely at the rip to his beloved coat.

"Bout bleedin' time you showed up" Barret hollered as they ran over toward the Turk.

"There's rope in the back we can tie him up with" Cissnei indicated with a nod to the chopper.

"Where you been Ciss? we were worried" Zack asked, grabbing the rope and biding Rufus' arms and legs.

"Well after playing with the guards in sector 7 I had to rest up a bit" she explained, massively under playing the fact that she had very nearly been killed. A scar to her lower abdomen would serve as a reminder to that, another addition to the numerous other 'reminders' she had accumulated over the years.

"Then I found out you guys had been arrested so I piloted the first chopper that would have clearance to land up here" she finished.

Cissnei jumped into an alert defensive stance as Aerith marched straight over to her without stopping. Not that she was expecting Aerith was going to attack her but because it was usually always Cissnei's first instinctive response when taken off guard. She was rather stunned when it turned out Aerith had marched over to her to grab her in a tight hug.

"Thank you, for what you did back in sector seven" she whispered sincerely. "Me and Marlene wouldn't be here without you", Aerith squeezed Cissnei tightly, making the Turk bite her tongue to stop from making any noise from the pain in her abdomen.

"Ya' sayin' she helped ya' save Marlene?" Barret questioned in surprise.

Aerith nodded.

Whatever gripes Barret had had about the ex-Turk died then and there as not even a thousand thank you's could be enough for rescuing his little girl.

The gratitude in both their faces was beginning to make Cissnei feel uncomfortable. Thanks was usually paid to her in the form of cold hard cash as opposed to fond affection, she didn't know if she would ever be able to get use to receiving it in the latter. Before any of them could say anything further she removed herself from their attention by bundling a surprisingly quiet Rufus Shinra into the back of the helicopter and climbing back into the driver's seat.

"Let's go, the only way out of here is by air" she called starting up the blades. A quiet and very brief whimper made her turn to see a red colored lion creature staring petrified at the machine. "...though, I didn't plan on there being more than nine of us"

"There are only nine of us" Tifa remarked climbing in behind Jessie.

"Where's Biggs and Wedge?" Cissnei asked, then watched as the girls faces dropped as if she had just told them they both had a terminal illness and only had a week to live.

"Oh..." she mumbled, a pang of sadness knotting itself in her gut, making her wince.

She looked to see the other stranger who had joined the group and made up the ninth passenger. He hopped into the passenger side seat beside her to ride up front, they locked eyes making Cissnei recoil in astonishment.

"Wow..." she gasped, staring at the dazzlingly intriguing and beautiful orbs that glowed in two different radiant colors.

He grinned and Cissnei's face turned the same shade as her hair, _god she didn't just say 'wow' did she?_ If the embarrassment wasn't yet bad enough her senses only just recovered enough to notice he had spoke an introduction and was holding out his hand.

"Kunsel Haringer, nice to meet you" he repeated.

"Ohh err Cissnei! I'm a Turk" she blurted out snatching his hand far too awkwardly to go unnoticed, making him smile even more at her obvious discomfort. The thought briefly crossed her mind about just how far she would fall if she just hurled herself of this building right now, disbelieving that the first thing she had just said was that she was a Turk.

"Ex-Turk!... kinda" she tried to correct.

_Oh god_

"I get it, I'm kinda ex-SOLDIER" he replied, flexing his hand slightly to indicate she was still crudely grasping at it for far longer than what was customary. She released his hand dramatically as if it had just burned her and shifted away further in humiliation.

_Time to jump_

Kunsel chuckled to himself, it never ceased to amuse him the different ways people reacted to his eyes.

Everyone else had finally crammed into the back, everyone that is except for Red who was still stood shivering on the landing pad.

"Red let's go" Jessie called

Red shifted his weight forward on one foot before freezing again, it was the kind of look you would see when a person was trying to force themselves off the top diving board at a swimming pool.

"Red it's alright, Cissnei can drive this thing better than anyone, right Cissnei?" Tifa yelled above the spinning blades.

Cissnei nodded to try to contribute to the reassurance, though it was quite far from the truth. When Red still couldn't muster the courage to move, Aerith clambered out of the chopper to go over to him. Squatting down against her calves she made herself eye level with him.

"Hey, before just recently I'd never been in one of these things either, it's not as scary as it seems, I promise" she soothed.

"I'll be with you the whole time ok?", she gently stroked a hand through his warm red fur, surprisingly soft for how coarse it appeared.

Red eventually nodded and released a sound that could be best described as a nervous purr. Following Aerith to the chopper he bounded into the back to see Barret staring at him in amusement.

"Really? I watched ya' mangle up a ton of Shinra lab spooks without so much as a blink, but this... this is wha' scares ya'?" he laughed.

"I like to keep my feet on the floor" he replied, mustering as much dignity as he could.

"Stop being mean to Red" Jessie chimed from behind an in flight laptop. "Or that snake over there might get you"

"SNAKE?! oh fuck! where!? where's a..."

Barret huffed as Jessie giggled in amusement while she furiously typed away. She was Probably hijacking some top secret Shinra database or maybe just hacking the power grid for fun to black out some Shinra high-ups house like he had seen her do in the past.

"Right, hold on everybody, this could be a bumpy ride" Cissnei called into the back. "...smooth ride! this will be a smooth ride I mean!" she corrected when Red almost leaped out the back, nearly dragging Aerith and Tifa with him.

The chopper lifted of the ground, the extra weight combined with the strong winds at this height took Cissnei by surprise and they coasted dangerously to one side. The sound of Aerith ushering comforting sounds to a howling Red was drowned out by a hail of abuse to keep it steady, mostly from Barret.

Kunsel next to her was about the only one who seemed completely unfazed, gazing out the window he had a pleasant relaxed look on his face. Gradually she evened out the flight and set a course for the fastest route out of the city, keeping the flight comms switched off and their speed low.

"So... Kunsel, I've read about you, only person to ever turn down promotion to first right?", Cissnei bit the side of her cheek, she hated small talk, so why she was trying to make it?

"Ha, you know I think that will be engraved on my tombstone some day"

"Why did you do it?"

"I preferred the food in the seconds canteen" he teased with a half laugh while turning his gaze from outside the window to stare at her. Once again she was caught mesmerized by those eyes, grabbing her, bewildering her, making her feel like some silly high school teenage girl again.

"You might want to keep your eyes on the sky" he pointed out after holding her gaze for a while.

She whipped her head back around to look straight forward so quickly she almost gave herself whip-lash, then began to blush... again. She dug her nails into the back of her hand grasping the flight control stick. The last time she had been this embarrassed was when Reno had jumped on stage drunk at a bar and started singing a rendition of 'wind beneath my wings' to her.

"I've read about you too" he remarked running a hand through his hair, "youngest member to ever join the Turks, often described as ruthless and efficient. I also notice you never use a surname, don't you think it would be more believable if you at least used a pretend one? or do you not mind people finding out that Cissnei isn't your real name?"

She mentally cursed herself when she allowed a faintly audible gasp to escape her lips. The truth was that very few people knew that Cissnei wasn't her real name and it made her wonder just how much Kunsel really knew about her. She shifted anxiously in her seat, the topic of her real name being rather sensitive to her which he seemed to pick up on, only making her all the more flustered that her emotions were such an open book for him right now.

"Look I get it, you don't need to say anything" he dismissed before changing the subject. "So, Cissnei, where we headed?"

"We didn't get time to refuel but this bird should have just enough to get us a days walk away from Kalm"

"... my hometown" he mumbled more to himself than to her.

"Oh, any family there?"

"No"

"How come?"

Just like how she had reacted when he had mentioned about her real name, Kunsel seemed to withdraw into himself. It must have been a delicate subject for him.

"A story for another time perhaps..." he eventually replied.

Clearly with histories as thick as each others they came to a wordless agreement that it was probably best if discussing their pasts was left alone. Spending the next twenty or so minutes in silence Cissnei flew the helicopter as stealthily as possible across the city of Midgar, praying but not entirely expecting that they would make it out without being spotted.

* * *

**Chapter 15 Part 3- Enhanced firepower**

Aerith found herself enjoying the ride as she sat running her hands through Red's fur. Though she was conscious about treating him like a pet dog, but Red seemed to object when she stopped so she continued. Red was about as much a person as any of them and she wanted to treat him as such. She noticed his eye was fixed on Zack and Aerith could see why, Zack sat with a troubled look on his face.

"Zack? everything ok?" she called across to him.

"Your little boyfriend here knows we won't be making out of the city unnoticed" came the voice of Rufus who was sat looking smug.

"Keep ya' trap shut or there's plenty more rope 'ere to do it for ya'" Barret warned booting the base of the president's seat.

As if Rufus had jinxed it, both Jessie and Cissnei yelled out a warning in unison.

"I'm picking up another helicopter!"

"We got company!"

Zack readied himself, knowing that another chopper would have no clue that the president was on board and would open fire on a rogue target.

As predicted a short burst of gun-fire was fired at them in warning causing a number of startled shouts. The chopper lurched forward as Cissnei throttled the accelerator to max speed, all attempts at stealth now being disregarded.

"Aww hell naw! they did not jus' shoot at us!" Barret roared, swinging himself to lean out of the open hatchway and returned fire at the pursuing enemy.

A fully fledged aerial dogfight pursued and any comments Aerith made previously about flying not being bad was thoroughly trampled into the ground. As Cissnei maneuvered the helicopter wildly to avoid the incoming attacks it was potentially the second most horrific experience of her life and now it was she who was clinging to Red for dear life.

Jessie pounded away at the keyboard as she tried to keep her balance, chewing a lock of her red hair in concentration as Barret fired away but was unable to inflict any real damage. She was trying to hack the into the space satellite systems, internally laughing at the 'cute' little security systems they tried to put in her way. She grinned in victory when she successfully broke through in only her second attempt. She Reconfigured the laptops data chip then turned to Zack.

"Can you snap this in half for me?" she requested, holding the laptop out to him.

"Err... you sure?"

"Yes please"

Zack's enhanced strength made light work of breaking the machine in two like a twig. Retrieving the data chip from inside the laptop she grabbed Barret who was still firing away like a madman.

"Here use this", she pulled his gun-arm into her lap when he ceased firing, tucked it under her arm and began fiddling about with it.

"Jess! wha' ya' doin'!?" he yelled as she pried a metal plate of the robotic arm, still chewing her hair in focus. Working some of her mechanical wonders she inserted the satellite data chip into the on board sensory computer that picked up the nerve impulses that allowed Barret to fire the weapon.

"There ya go, go nuts!" she hooted at the puzzled looking man.

Leaning back out the chopper armed with the new limit break 'satellite beam' Barret fired at the helicopter that had now given them quite a battering. A bright blue laser virtually the same as what guard hawk utilized bolted down from the heavens, sending the pursuing chopper up in a bright ball of flames. Everyone gasped in awe, even Rufus looked pretty impressed.

"Holy mother of Minerva!... Jessie ya a keeper!" Barret cheered, brushing a fist of knuckles lightly against her chin with his real hand.

"Thanks B" she shied, always finding it extra nice when even someone as technologically backwards as Barret recognized things.

"Crumbs, you ain't startin' that B crap too are ya? I..." Barret paused as through the cloud of black smoke that hung suspended in the air from the destroyed helicopter came three more pursuing choppers.

"...oh jesus... don't s'pose that limit breaks ready to go again by any chance?"

Jessie shook her head, it would take at least three hours for a single satellite gun to recharge.

"Looks like I'm up then" Zack stood up, placed the buster sword on his back and moved to stand at the hatchway.

"Zack what are you doing!?" Aerith asked in concern.

"Just off to have a word with our friends back there" he winked to her before turning and launching himself out of the chopper so hard he managed to kick the entire thing sideways.

"ZACK!" Aerith cried in alarm.

"God damn show off.." Barret grumbled

Zack soared with one long jump through the open midnight sky, rain and wind slapping him across the face. Twisting towards one of the attacking helicopters as they opened fire on him he landed his boot with a crash against the windscreen.

"I guess talking's out of the question then"

Zack jumped onto the roof and slashed twice at the rotor, decapitating the spinning blades from the chopper which went spiraling off into the night sky. Leaping off the rapidly descending machine he hopped to the next one, almost losing his footing against the slippery rain covered surface.

For some unknown reason the thought of Angeal appeared in his mind, reprimanding him for all the wear, tear and rust he was causing the buster sword.

_Sorry Angeal_

He grinned to himself before swinging the buster sword at the rear of the helicopter, cutting the tail clean off the machine went into a spin and careened out of control as both pilots in the chopper bailed out, activating the parachutes strapped to their backs.

Kunsel grinned as he watched Zack in the rear view mirror hop onto the third chopper.

"Are you enjoying this!?" Cissnei spluttered, looking flustered with the effort it was taking her to avoid being blown out of the sky.

"It sure beats marking test papers on materia proficiency back at SOLDIER" he chuckled joyfully.

Noticing five more helicopters appearing on the horizon, focused on Zack, Kunsel cricked his neck and picked up his claymore from down beside him.

"Oh jeez not you as well" Cissnei groaned

"Well we can't be letting Zack have all the fun now can we?" he smirked, kicking open the passenger side door, flooding the cockpit with the sound of the thunderous rain from outside.

"You realise your about to jump out into a thunder-storm holding a giant metal conductor right?!"

"Yep"

Before Cissnei could say anymore Kunsel launched himself out of the chopper and into the night sky.

Zack hacked another two helicopters out of the sky while narrowly avoided being shot by turret and armed passenger alike. Not noticing when Kunsel went whipping past.

Kunsel landed against one of the incoming choppers, a little less gracefully then what Zack had managed, meh... he'd had further to jump. Landing belly down on the hood of the chopper he greeted two startled looking pilots. He taped the claymore lightly against the windscreen and the passenger side pilot responded by pulling out a handgun and firing at him through the glass. Dodging bullets being fired almost at point-blank range Kunsel waited until the man emptied his clip before wagging a disapproving finger at the men. They didn't need anymore warning than that... both pilots threw open their doors and leaped out of their own free will.

"Thank you" Kunsel remarked climbing in behind the controls in the drivers seat. Flipping on the missile controls he locked onto one of the choppers that Zack was not currently hacking away at. Together they shot and cut down the remaining helicopters including twelve more that showed up sporadically until Kunsel and Cissnei's were the only two birds left in the air.

There was a loud thump on the roof and the drenched black spikes of Zack's head appeared in the window looking surprised.

"Hey! why didn't I get taught to fly one of these things?!" he exclaimed indignantly, climbing into the passenger seat soaked.

"Probably because you never went in for flying lessons?" Kunsel suggested.

What else don't I know about you?" he huffed, shaking his wet hair out like damp dog. "Friends aren't supposed to keep secrets you know"

"Yeah... you're right... Zachary Francis Fair" Kunsel chuckled, emphasizing the mans middle name.

Zack grit his teeth.

"Kunsel... If you ever tell anyone that name..."


	16. Traveling memories

* * *

**Chapter 16 Part 1- Traveling memories  
**

Aerith's feet were beginning to ache, the toll of the relentless pace the group were traveling at to reach grassland before sundown setting in. Zack had experience in these wastelands and said he didn't want to be stuck camping in them overnight, saying that the problem of monsters became three times worse here at night. From the encounters the group had faced during the day, Aerith was utterly amazed how Zack could possibly have survived out here for two days on his own. The thought saddened her but also made her love for him grow even stronger, for what he had risked and endured in returning to Midgar, in returning to her. Striding alongside him she drew herself closer to Zack, tightening the grasp of their linked hands.

Hiking had never been one of Aerith's strong points, especially with the heavy camping pack strapped to her back that Zack had offered to carry for about the fiftieth time. She refused, she wanted to pull her own weight around the group, though if they didn't stop soon she feared she would have to be the first to ask for a break. The travel gear had been stashed away in the helicopter by Cissnei, tents, food, water, supplies, the basics. She had come prepared for a day's hike to Kalm which had unfortunately turned into a one and a half day hike due to the petrol tank in the chopper leaking fuel from a small puncture it had received.

The group trudged along the wastelands that had dried out from the muddy sludge it had been earlier. The bottom of Aerith's dress and boots were caked in mud which she spent most of the walk staring down at. Looking around at the wastelands only filled her with sorrow, a stark reminder of how the planet was slowly dying. The melancholy atmosphere was shared with the rest of the group as they walked mostly in silence the entire way. Most of them reflecting on the people and the memories both good and bad that they were each leaving behind. Others just focused on placing one foot in front of the other. It had been a sad moment watching from the helicopter as Midgar shrank away into the distance, for Aerith it was watching the only place she had ever called home fade behind the horizon.

"Do you think we will ever return?" she ventured, turning to gaze sidelong at Zack.

"...I think so, but I also think we have a long journey ahead of us" he replied honestly returning her gaze.

Evening was setting in and the sun sat for its final moments on the horizon, casting everything in a warm pink glow. Zack looked stunning bathed in the mellow light, bringing out the complexion of his tan skin and those glowing bright blue eyes.

"As long as you're with me, I'm fine with that" she breathed softly.

They both stopped walking, almost being bumped into by Jessie who spent most of the walk idly fiddling with and modifying the electro-mag rod.

"I promised I'd always be here right?" Zack firmed.

Whether it was the beautifying light, his loving affectionate words or a combination of both, Aerith melted for him.

"Kiss me Zack"

He had already obliged before the words had even fully tumbled from her lips. The sweet fulfilling contact was bliss, though it only lasted for a few seconds before the interruption of Kunsel's voice called over humorously.

"Hey! some of us are trying to enjoy the sunset over here!"

"Keep it moving pal!" Zack instantly retorted as Aerith giggled with embarrassment.

Kunsel had been about the cheeriest of the whole group on their trek through the wastelands. Perhaps it was the burden of SOLDIER being lifted or the prospect of returning to his hometown that lifted his spirits. Or perhaps it was just that Kunsel was generally just one of the happiest people Aerith had ever met, it was easy to see why him and Zack got along so well.

"I'd better go take Rufus for a while, before Barret pokes him to death" Zack chuckled as they broke apart.

Barret was escorting Rufus at the front of the group, his hands still bound behind his back. Barret was setting the most relentless pace of them all, eager to get to Marlene who Aerith said would be waiting with Elmyra for them in Kalm. Every few strides Barret would jab the young president in the back to keep him moving.

They had not yet discussed nor had Zack fully thought out what they were going to do with the young president yet. While they couldn't just release him to simply go follow in his fathers footsteps, not even Barret would be crass enough to seriously suggest executing Rufus either.

Zack took over escort duty from an agitated Barret, if climbing flights of stairs seemed bad, a sweaty trek across hostile dead lands took the mans mood to a whole new level.

"How far do you really think you'll make it keeping me tied up with half the Shinra army after you? I'm curious" Rufus taunted, relieved to be able to finally talk without receiving a smack to the head.

"We'll take our chances" Zack replied dryly.

"Indeed, that's all you seem to do lately Fair. Chance and luck. I almost want to hang around... so I can watch when that luck finally runs out"

Zack was about to respond but the sound of bounding paws grabbed his attention. He readied his sword for an attacking predator which were growing ever more frequent as night approached. He lowered the weapon when he saw it was only Red appearing over the mound.

"We are close to the grasslands now" Red informed him, panting slightly.

"How far?"

"At your human pace, half an hour".

A ripple of relieved murmurs traveled through the group, it was getting dark and everyone was exhausted.

Just as Red had said, half an hour later the ground transitioned from hard baron mud to luscious knee-length grassland. They continued for a while longer to get well away from the wastes, by which time night had just about set in and a clear star filled night-sky circled above.

"We rest here" Zack finally ordered.

It was as if his words were scissors cutting the strings to a group of puppets who collapsed to the grassy floor instantaneously. Jessie laid her head back gulping in the cool night air, trying to catch her breath. Seeing Tifa still stood on her feet looking normal Jessie frowned.

"...blimey Teef... you got some of Zack and Kunsel's enhancements or something?"

Tifa chuckled lightly as she set her pack down.

"I use to go on long hikes in Nibelheim all the time as a child, I was even a mountain guide once so I'm kinda used to it"

"What? on your own?", Jessie sat up recovered slightly.

"Sometimes" Tifa smiled

"Isn't that really dangerous?"

"Mmmm, dad would never let me go alone but I would sneak out anyway, that's why he was so furious after finding out I had been out there when the accident happened"

"Accident?"

"An old rope bridge we were crossing collapsed..."

Tifa's smile dropped and her eye's glazed over from the memory of who the 'we' had been.

"...Cloud?" Jessie guessed.

Tifa could only manage a small nod, quickly turning to her pack she busied herself to the task of setting up camp to distract herself.

Zack was frozen stunned, he had been absently listening to the girls from across the way while he was helping Aerith unstrap the supplies they had harnessed to Red's side. What Tifa had described about the bridge collapsing in the mountains matched one of the confusing dreams of Tifa he had been unable to explain. His head whirred painfully, how was this possible? how could what he had dismissed as a crazy dream have actually happened? A coincidence? He needed to know.

"Tifa" Zack called, dropping what he was doing to go over to her.

"What's up?"

"When you were kids, did you and Cloud ever have... like a place the two of you would meet or anything like that?"

"Not... really" she replied slowly in confusion. "I suppose we had this spot on the water tower that we would sometimes go to... why?"

Zack felt his throat close up, he had seen that water tower, the girl in the baby blue dress staring up at the stars. Reality came crashing down around him. These dreams he had been having, they weren't dreams at all, they were memories... Cloud's memories. How did he have Cloud's memories? Suddenly all of the emotions and feelings that he had been having towards Tifa made sense, and yet it made no sense at all. How was it possible that he could be feeling and seeing his old friends experiences?

"Zack what's wrong?" Tifa frowned.

Zack shook his head.

"Nothing... it's nothing, I'm just glad to hear that Spike actually talked to a girl once"

He dropped it with a fake grin, now was not the time to be solving riddles, he needed to help set up camp so the others could bunk down and prepare for the day of walking ahead. They had all agreed that talking could wait until they were at the Kalm inn, where he would have to explain everything about Sephiroth, a moment he was truly dreading.

"I'll go gather some firewood" Kunsel announced stepping out into fields.

"I'll help", Cissnei offered climbing to her feet before kicking herself for volunteering for another opportunity to embarrass herself.

"They seem to be hitting it off" Aerith nudged Zack as she watched the Turk and SOLDIER wandering out into the field in conversation.

"You reckon?... well they are more like each other than they've probably noticed, between them they probably have connections with every person on Gaia" Zack responded, finally setting down the two packs of his own he carried.

Aerith linked her hands behind her back, swinging her shoulders as she stared up at the stars in wonder, so rarely had she seen them.

"So where you sleeping tonight?" she absently queried as her attention was drawn to Jessie and Barret arguing about which side of the tent they were assembling was the right way up. Then her brain finally caught up with what she had said.

"... not that I'm suggesting anything!" she toppled out quickly, thankful it was getting dark so he couldn't see her cheeks turning pink.

Zack kindly refrained from grinning at her too much.

"I'll probably stay up tonight, we need someone on guard for monsters and to watch over him", Zack inclined his head to Rufus who lay humming in the grass with Tifa a few feet away keeping a close, gloves still on her hand, watch.

"Zack you need sleep to you know" Aerith fussed as she grabbed metal cups from her pack, a plan to make everyone a warm drink once Kunsel and Cissnei had returned and made a fire.

"I'll be fine. Remember I'm your bodyguard, your supposed to leave the worrying to me"

_Bodyguard? what about boyfriend also?_

Aerith didn't voice that thought, fearing that maybe it was a bit too soon for that.

* * *

**Chapter 16 Part 2 **\- Traveling memories****

Zack nodded to Red, confirming things were still all clear when his golden eye shot open upon hearing a branch snapping off a tree somewhere out in the darkness. He closed his eye and went back to sleep, it brought Zack comfort knowing such a light and alert sleeper was camped in front of Aerith's tent which she shared with the other three women.

Kunsel had finally given up telling Barret to 'shut the fuck up snoring', utilizing the same powers as Zack of blocking out sound. A required skill if you ever wanted a decent nights sleep in SOLDIER or nowadays if you ever wanted to sleep around Barret.

Besides Red who had said he preferred sleeping outside, the only other person who wasn't stashed away in a tent was Rufus Shinra. The captive president's sleeping form lay close to the fire, his back turned to him, though Zack knew the man was anything but sleeping.

The fire crackled away nicely, it would have been a fairly pleasant experience had Zack's mind not been troubled. Troubled not only by his earlier discoveries but also by his thoughts on the return of a certain silver-haired nightmare. Why and how had Sephiorth returned? what did he want with the promised land? why did he take Jenova? where could he find him?... and kill him? He stared into the flames as if staring long enough would eventually give him the answers he desperately needed.

No answers came and Zack was eventually distracted as Red's eye flicked open then closed again, a second later the tent the girls were sleeping in was unzipped and Tifa clambered out. Zack watched the martial artist stretch her long limbs out before calling softly over to her.

"Everything ok?"

Wandering over to the fire Tifa sat herself down beside him on the log they were using as a bench.

"Yes... and no. I suppose that's what were all out here traveling to go do right?... to make everything ok"

Zack inhaled deeply, breathing in the fresh night air before giving a simple...

"Yeah"

Staring at Zack in the glow of the fire at that moment, that feeling Tifa sometimes got when she was around Zack washed over her. What caused these feelings she never knew and she had begun to put it down as simply being completely random. It could be the way he said something, a certain look he had in his eye, a fleeting manerism she hadn't seen from him before but seemed so familiar.

Zack turned after she had gone silent for some time, eyes meeting one another there was that look again, that look that often passed between them. But this time there was something else in there, something that wasn't usually there when they looked at each other. The way he tensed slightly, almost recoiled, like he knew something was different, like something had changed.

"...Zack? Zack wha.." she whispered for some reason almost feeling tearful.

"Nice night isn't it?" he choked out quickly cutting her off as if he was avoiding her.

While Tifa knew that Zack and Aerith were practically an item now and she wasn't lying when she said she was happy for them, it still hurt that he was dismissing her. Not because she wanted anything romantic between her and Zack, he was with Aerith now and she would never do anything to hurt the girl she considered as a dear friend. But there were times, moments like this, moments that passed between the two of them that made it painful to see Zack with another woman.

"There's only a few hours left until morning, go get some sleep" she whispered, trying her best to keep the sorrow from her voice.

"I'm ok"

"You need to stop trying to do everything yourself Zack, now it wasn't a question, go, I'll stay guard"

Zack's gaze drifted in concern over to Rufus.

"I can handle him, go" she pressed

"...ok, but I'll be just over here, shout if you need me" Zack relented.

Leaving to go get a few precious hours of rest in he turned back to her before leaving.

"Night Teef", he spoke with so much warmth and affection, ushering away the ache that Tifa was beginning to feel crushed by.

"Goodnight Zack" she called back, smiling as she watched him climb into the tent with Barret and Kunsel and only zipping it back up half way.

Turning back to the fire Tifa's senses went berserk, the space where Rufus had been laying was now vacant.

"So you think you can handle me do you?" her fists went up as she twirled around abruptly, shocked at how he could have moved so stealthily that not even Red had woken up.

"Easy..." he chuckled, holding his palms up.

Strolling over to the log bench Rufus sat himself down, his grass stained white leather jacket he had all but given up caring for glowing in front of the fire.

"Just sit down" he muttered humorlessly.

Tifa eventually lowered her fists but settled on sitting on the floor near the fire a few feet away instead.

"Romantic night isn't it?" he mocked. She ignored him.

"Don't tell me you're just as sour an apple as that big guy is"

"Perhaps watching our families and our homes burn to the ground because of Shinra is to blame for that?" she returned unemotionally.

At least the smirk on his face had the decency to drop off at that point.

"My old man did a lot of fucked up things" Rufus stated bluntly, twirling a random twig between his fingers.

"Yeah and you don't plan on being any different" she replied bitterly.

Tifa was momentarily surprised when the man suddenly lost his cool.

"Do you think it's as simple as that!? do you think I can just become Mr nice guy!? dance around handing out sweets and the world will become a better place!?... you haven't got a fucking clue!"

Red let out a low growl in warning.

"You could start by tearing down those reactors killing the planet" she returned.

"And what!? go back to living in our caves!?"

"Convert back to electricity?"

"It won't make the slightest bit of difference!" he hissed heatedly in frustration. "They'll still pollute the atmosphere, this shit hole of a rock will still die, the only difference is the time frame"

Tifa didn't respond, she just stared. Catching on that she was analyzing his outburst Rufus regained his composure, turning back to the fire.

"It's a dog eat dog world out there princess, if Shinra doesn't exploit mako then someone else will" he stated very matter-of-factly.

"It doesn't have to be that way!" she urged.

"It's the only way.." he quickly returned, casting the twig into the fire.

There was a silent pause between them in which Tifa realized she had returned to sitting on the log.

"If you really think that's the way things have to be, then why did you hate your father so much?"

"... that man probably told more lies than anyone... funny thing is I didn't hate my father because of all the lies he told me... I hated him because he told me the truth"

Tifa frowned at the blonde, not understanding.

"From a young age he taught me the truth of what this world is really all bout. You kill or you be killed, you exploit... or you get exploited" Rufus stood up turning his back. "For someone claiming to have witnessed so much of this worlds evil, you haven't wised up at all"

"Where are you going?" she called when he began to walk off.

"To get some damn sleep, why? fancy joining me? Your not my usual type but I'm not that fussy right now"

Rufus returned to his place beside the slowly dying fire and Tifa simply stared in thought as she settled in to stand guard for the next few hours until daybreak.

* * *

**Chapter 16 Part 3 **\- Traveling memories****

It was incredible how the mood of the entire group could change so dramatically overnight. The air was fresher with a gentle warm breeze, monsters were fewer and the curtain of death that the wastelands had draped over them had finally been lifted. The day of hiking through grassland had been filled with laughter and dare Aerith say it, fun.

Red bounded aimlessly through the fields, he had probably already covered the distance from here to Kalm twice over by now. She knew he was relishing being out in the open, free to stretch his legs again after all the time he spent in confinement. It filled not just her with so much joy to watch him running so freely, but the rest of the group as well, the thought of caging a person like Red seeming at the time to be the cruelest punishment possible.

They had already been walking just as long as yesterday yet there was none of the weary dragging of feet that there had been the day before. If anything everyone had a spring in their step, except Rufus Shinra of course. Even Cissnei could not recall laughing and smiling so often in one day. Smiling at the continuous back and forth exchanges between Zack and Kunsel. Laughing as Tifa and Barret engaged in a friendly sparring match after Jessie teased the big man that he could "have his butt whooped by a girl". It was even amusing to watch as Aerith tried talking to a scowling Rufus, trying to convince him of the beauty of nature and why the planet should be protected.

Said flower girl was now staring at Cissnei with a big grin on her face, bouncing playfully on her toes and all together looking rather mischievous.

"Aerith, why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this?" Cissnei remarked suspiciously, striding along at a comfortable pace.

Aerith giggled, her emerald eyes gleaming bigger, brighter and happier than the Turk had ever seen them. Admittedly it was nice to see and rather infectious so Cissnei decided to indulge the girl.

"Go on then, what is it?"

"Weeellllllll.." Aerith began, linking her hands behind her back, still bouncing energetically. "I was wondering... what do you think about Kunsel?"

Cissnei internally thanked the years of training she had taken in masking her emotions, a skill that seemed to go completely out the window when Kunsel was around. Luckily Aerith didn't have those disorienting gorgeous multi-coloured eyes so she managed to maintain a completely neutral expression.

"...he's alright" she replied casually, trying to sound as uninterested as possible.

"...annnnddd? what else?" Aerith pressed.

"And nothing else" Cissnei concluded, recognizing what the flower girl was trying to do.

"Well do you like him?" Aerith persisted, beginning to look disappointed.

"He's as easy to get along with as everyone else yeah"

"Cissneeeeeiiiiiiii..." Aerith pouted, grabbing both the Turks hands in hers.

Realizing that Aerith wasn't going to relent unless she gave her something juicier, she checked to see no one was in earshot.

"Ok he is handsome... and yeah he's a really nice guy"

Cisseni hissed a "shhhh" when Aerith began squealing delightedly.

"He's also over-confident and sure of himself" she added half-heartedly trying to play the whole thing down, fearing she had given away too much.

"Hey! I resent that comment!" Kunsel yelled in the distance as he crouched down beside a stream the group upfront had stopped at to refill their canteens.

Cissnei's eyes bugged, flabbergasted how he had heard.

"Enhanced hearing remember" he smirked pointing to his ear.

Cissnei gawked at Kunsel, then at Aerith who had a hand clamped to her mouth, shoulders shaking up and down. Gritting her teeth with determination Cissnei composed herself, marching up to Kunsel she would be damned before she embarrassed herself again.

"I only said it because Aerith basically forced me to say it" she insisted as Kunsel screwed the cap back on his canteen. Then he did the meanest thing possible and stared at her with those eyes as he turned his expression serious.

"So you don't think I'm good-looking then?"

Cissnei floundered under his stare completely at a loss for what to say.

"... I... errr... no... I didn't mean..."

Kunsel could no longer keep a straight face and burst out laughing. A look of indignant shock passed over Cissnei's face that he'd been teasing her before she too couldn't resist breaking into laughter.

"Wow! so the Turk can laugh after all" Kunsel squeezed out between breaths.

Filled with a desire for revenge Cissnei strolled innocently around the SOLDIER, well as innocently as you could be dressed in a tight-fitting black leather pilots outfit. She tilted her head sweetly to him, staring into his eyes which combined with the outfit distracted the man just enough so she could shove him headlong into the river.

Aerith gasped while Barret roared with laughter, Rufus even stopped scowling for the first time. Cissnei stared grinning as Tifa, Jessie and Zack began laughing too until a hand wrapped around her ankle and she was swept off her feet and into the freezing water. The shocking blast of ice-cold took Cissnei's breath away, making her gasp as she resurfaced next to a drenched rolling Kunsel.

Everyone was still laughing hysterically on the river bank, so Cissnei hauled herself out of the water and locked her sights on Aerith.

"You are to blame for this missy.."

Aerith's laughter cut off and here eyes widened cartoonishly.

"No... no!" she squealed as Cissnei lunged for the flower girl as she tried to scramble away. Locking her arms around Aerith's waist she hauled the girl over to the river.

"No!... Zack!... Zack help me!"

"She's like four inches shorter than you" Zack creased up

"...but she's really strong!... no!... help!"

Zack finally decided to run to Aerith's aid but Kunsel intercepted him as he bounded out of the water.

"I don't think so buddy", grabbing Zack by the collar Kunsel dragged him in as all four of them went crashing into the river.

Aerith's breathing hyperventilated from a mix between the shocking cold and the uncontrollable laughing.

"It's actually nice in here!" Zack called to the others while doing a backstroke.

Jessie shrugged, "ahhh what the hell, anything's better than being sweaty".

She leapt in as close to Zack as possible to splash him in the face.

"Yo Tifa! don't be such a grouch and get in here!" Kunsel hollered before getting his mouth filled by a wave of water splashed by Cissnei.

"Someone needs to watch him" Tifa remarked sensibly thumbing towards Rufus, smiling at the big bunch of kids splashing around.

"Ahhh screw him" Barret bellowed as he charged at Tifa, sweeping the martial artist of her feet and bombing into the river, creating the biggest splash of them all.

Amidst a sea of shrieks, laughter, gasps and cheers, Red sat on the edge of the river bank shaking his head.

_... humans._

* * *

**Chapter 16 Part 4 **\- Traveling memories****

Drawn towards a crescendo of loud and rather odd noises, she stalked through the long grass towards the noise, staying crouched low. She wasn't quite sure what to expect, she'd never heard any animal make those kind of sounds before, but then again she'd not been on this continent that long. It was quite a surprise to her when it turned out to be a big group of people acting rather deranged in a river. Her curious nature as always prevailed over everything else and she waded through the soft blades of grass to take a closer look.

They were a funny looking bunch, a group of girls, a man with a gun for an arm, a strange lion tiger dog thingy and two SOLDIERS, definitely two SOLDIERS. She could see the glow in their eyes from here and that was enough to make her back away, not that she couldn't take them on, she could totally kick their asses, she was after all the greatest warrior that ever lived.

Her retreat was halted by a shimmer of light reflecting off of a huge metal blade that one of them had discarded on the bank. Hey eyes widened and focused greedily on the pulsing multicolored orbs in the full slot of materia. Her heart fluttered with excitement, they had materia! a lot of materia in fact! and it would all soon be hers!

Her mind schemed with a thousand different elaborate plans to swipe the orbs, each more positively spectacular than the last. No one would ever forget the day they were visited by the super ninja warrior princess!

...or perhaps she should just march down there, beat the lot of them up and just take it, she could do that you know.

Nah, she was classier than that. Biding her time she watched and waited, tracking the group from the shadows. They were an awfully cheery bunch considering they were traipsing along completely drenched, they must have eaten some wild mushrooms she figured.

Hopping between tree's, tip-toeing behind boulders and slithering through greenery, the greatest ninja that ever lived tracked her prey all the way to a nearby town. Ahhh, the perfect place where she would make her move.


	17. Bras and bandits

**Chapter 17 Part 1- Bras and bandits**

Kalm was a quiet town considering its size, strolling through the main square Jessie could not have seen more than fifty or so people. In Midgar the smaller town sector at mid afternoon like this would be packed with at least four hundred people. It was a very different yet rather nice change of pace for a city girl like her. Midgar was probably to blame for this town being so underpopulated she mused, with at least one in every four buildings being boarded up. Propaganda about the wealth and fame that could be achieved in SOLDIER as well as the nightlife of the city proving too irresistible for the youth of the town.

Jessie was heading back to to the inn room from a trip to the local metal smith for some supplies she had been eager to get her hands on to further upgrade the electro-mag rod. She managed to find what she needed, a fully powered mercury oxide node to replace the crude lithium one it currently used which was undoubtedly responsible for occasional short circuiting and instability.

She was becoming quite skilled with the weapon now, a lot of practice in the wastelands was to thank for that. Though she was still no Zack or Kunsel she was more than capable of handling her own in a fight now. It made her feel for the first time in her life strong, confident and independent, feelings which as much as she hated to admit, she only had the one who had gifted her the weapon to thank for.

Her hand wandered to her PHS like it always did, it was switched off as it had been rather pointless keeping it turned on when there was no signal out in the wastes. Turning the device back on Jessie was soon greeted by three unread text messages.

The first was from a girl called Charlie that she used to hang out with in Midgar, Charlie was a car mechanic at a downtown garage in sector 6. Jessie used to visit there quite regularly to shop for various bits and bobs.

_Jess I just heard about sector seven being attacked by terrorists, I hope you're safe babe, please leave a message or drop by I'm worried xxx_

The caring sentiment made her smile. Flicking to read the other messages first, she would reply back to Charlie later. Jessie's stomach fluttered when the text who she was expecting one from opened up.

_So the president's gone missing, you've been a very naughty girl. Looks like I'll be seeing you soon - R_

She stopped walking to lean against the closest building she could find, fingers hovered over buttons in a dizzy on whether or not to reply. She opted for reading the final text instead.

_P.s. stop messing with my rod._

A big smile stretched itself over her face as she stared at the message, then in cautionate curiosity around the square. Her fingers tapped out a response as she chewed her lower lip, now she was nervously grappling with the decision on whether or not to hit the send button.

_Are you watching me? Your rod? well if you want it, come and get it - J_

She probably stared at the message for five whole minutes before finally hitting the cancel button and shoving the PHS angrily back into her pocket.

Continuing back to the inn she set an indirect path to one of the two rooms the group had paid for, nodding to Albert the small old man on reception as she passed. They had hired the rooms earlier that day from him so that they could freshen up, paying extra to the old man who Kunsel knew not to ask any questions. With Rufus Shinra in tow they'd had to smuggle him in as quickly and discreetly as possible and the man was now currently holed up with Red in the 'mens' bedroom. The rest of the group were out in the town, collecting extra supplies and tending to personal errands, at least that's what Jessie assumed as she arrived back at the 'girls' room.

Opening the room door Jessie let out a startled apology as she walked in on Tifa half undressed, bare from the waste up. The woman practically catapulted with a shriek across the room to quickly cover her chest up. While it would have seemed like an over exaggeration to most people, Jessie had shared a room with the martial artist on many occasions and knew just how insecure Tifa was about her body being seen. Often opting to wait until the bathroom was available to get dressed, Jessie never questioned the womans antics before. But now she understood why Tifa took extra effort to hide, it was because of the long red scar that was etched diagonally between her breasts to her upper torso.

"Sorry Teef" she repeated, "I thought everyone was out in the town"

"No it's my fault... I got lazy" Tifa's voice tremored as her face began to flush.

Jessie quickly turned her back and there was an uncomfortable silence as Tifa struggled with her bra. An abnormal amount of struggle for that matter. There was an odd noise of exertion coming from the woman and when it went on for longer than thirty seconds, Jessie couldn't resist taking a quick look. Tifa had turned her back as well and was straining with visible effort to connect the hooks at the back. She also had deep red strap marks across her back and shoulders and Jessie didn't need to see the front to know that the cup size was not containing the entirety of their intended contents.

"It's fine now" Tifa called as she finally put her top back on.

Jessie fidgeted, unsure if she should voice it or not.

"Ummm Teef... I noticed that..."

"It's hideous I know. I'd rather not talk about it"

"No! no not that! your bra Teef, I'm talking about your bra!" Jessie spluttered urgently.

"My bra?" Tifa looked puzzled down at her top.

"Yeah, I think it's too small for you", Jessie tried to remark as if it was no big deal while she crossed the room. Spilling her purchased supplies onto her bed she prepared for a fun session of mechanical tinkering.

"But I've always worn this size" Tifa remarked as if her bra being too small this whole time was unthinkable.

"When you say always, what do you mean? what age have you been wearing it since?"

"Fifteen"

"Fifteen!" Jessie exploded in disbelief, "surely you noticed it was getting tighter!?"

"Well it started getting more uncomfortable..."

"Teef, you realise bras aren't supposed to be uncomfortable right?"

"They're not?"

Jessie couldn't resist the short burst of laughter that escaped her, but quickly stifled it when she saw how embarrassed Tifa was becoming.

"No they're really not Teef, did no one ever take you to get measured?" she said in the warmest voice possible as she dropped what she was doing to go sit beside Tifa on her bed.

"... I only had my dad and master Zangan growing up, I kinda had to figure out girl stuff by myself. Dad was always too embarrassed with that sort of thing"

Recognizing that they were bordering very close to discussing the subject of why Tifa's mother wasn't around, Jessie tried to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"Ok well how about we go find a shop and get you measured?"

"...will you come with me?", Tifa almost sounded fearful, anyone would think they were discussing jumping off of a cliff as opposed to having your boobs measured.

"Of course I will" Jessie assured her with a smile. "If we take our stuff, afterwards we can do a gear run, I've crafted three materia slots into the electro-mag I wanna fill"

Tifa hugged the red head tightly, grateful for such a kind friend.

"Thankyou Jessie"

* * *

**Chapter 17 Part 2- Bras and bandits**

Kunsel tapped his foot impatiently, this was the fourth staff Aerith was trying out, the others had been either too heavy, too dull or just perfect but too expensive. Zack had of course said otherwise and that they could afford it, but Aerith stood her ground. Not that Zack really put up much of a counter argument, he was just pleased to be with Aerith and now Kunsel was very much beginning to feel like the third wheel in this weapons run.

Twirling a pair of throwing knives that were on display in boredom, he wondered what Cissnei was doing right now. She had been lumped with doing a food run on her own after Barret hadn't wanted to leave Marlene, perhaps he could go help her. Checking the clock on his PHS he sighed at the time, he had a contact to meet in twenty minutes.

"Aerith, the silver full metal staff is perfect for you, you should get that one" he tried to wrap things up.

"But it's eight hundred gil, I couldn't possibly" she protested.

"Honestly it's fine" Zack insisted again.

"John, how much really for the staff?" Kunsel called to the weapons store owner who he was familiar with, an old friend of his parents.

"For you and Zack, Kunsel? she can have it"

Zack looked up slightly bemused, he had never met the man before.

"We all saw your message on the television Mr. Fair", John dropped his voice to a whisper. "I want you to know that everyone in Kalm supports you, your face is famous pretty much everywhere, people were talking about nothing else other than you for days. We'll support you anyway we can"

Zack gave the man a grateful nod, he had known his broadcast had had a huge influence in SOLDIER, but he had no idea it had made such an impact on the public aswell.

"So please, take anything you need on the house"

Aerith's gasp indicated to Kunsel that she wouldn't dream of accepting the staff for free.

"Thanks John, but honestly, we'd feel much better if you just gave us your best price"

"Oh ok... errr... for that beauty... what about five hundred gil?"

"Five-fifty" Aerith haggled generously in the wrong direction.

"Five-fifty it is then" John chuckled.

"Great, well I've gotta bounce" Kunsel announced in relief as he made for the door.

"But we're not done yet" Zack called after him.

"You've got your new blade so that beloved buster sword of yours won't get anymore wear, tear or rust. Aerith has her staff. We've got everything else for the others, the only thing left to get is ammunition for Barret which I'm sure John will also give us a good deal on?"

"Of course! I mean if it wasn't for what you did all those years ago Kunsel, this store wouldn't even be here"

Aerith and Zack turned to look at Kunsel questioningly but he quickly left the store before either of them could voice anything. Kunsel didn't want the past being dragged up, a past he had spent a very long time trying desperately to forget.

Striding down the dark blue cobbled streets he attempted to look around at the buildings in the peripheral of his vision. He was trying to keep his head down so that he wouldn't be stopped and recognised constantly along the way.

It was astounding and yet it filled him with anger at how similar everything looked to his hometown. Yes the place was still called Kalm and it was in the same place it had always been, yet this town was most certainly not his hometown. The buildings may look the same, they make look old, but they didn't feel old or smell old. The cobbled streets may look weathered and worn, but he knew that they had not endured the seasons.

Arriving at the destination where he would be meeting with his contact he stepped into a restaurant by day, bar by night. A wordless nod from the manager permitted him to a private section in the corner of the room. Sliding into the booth he grinned when he came face to face with a pair of hazel eyes on a surprised looking face.

"I guess I should've expected that you would know Veld aswell"

Cissnei returned the smile.

"Considering he was once the leader of the Turks I should think me knowing him is fairly normal. Question is how do you know him?"

"Ahhh you see, you're not the only one who has their resources" he teased. She raised an eyebrow, still wanting to know how he had Veld as an informant.

"Let's just say he kept me in the loop on the Turk side of things and I returned the favor by keeping him clued up on SOLDIER"

"... I see" she breathed, feeling rather crushed under the close proximity between them. The low lighting of the cubicle made his eyes burn even brighter like torches of blue and golden flames which didn't help.

"Do you wanna know something about you and me?"

"What?" she replied in a barely audible voice.

"With both our little networks of contacts, it's amazing our paths have never crossed before. We should communicate next time either of us are about to meet an informant, we'd make a pretty good team"

To Cissnei her web of contacts was like a comforting blanket that had always protected her since she was a child. The thought of sharing that blanket with anyone would have normally been unthinkable. However at this moment in time the thought of sharing that blanket with him seemed appealing, almost desirable. Cissnei was relieved when Veld suddenly made his appearance just as her emotions were beginning to further slip.

Moving to sit on a stool at the end of the table Veld limped across the room and set his prosthetic arm down on the table. It was a sad sight to see, back in the day Veld was one of the deadliest swordsman on Gaia, quite what attracted a man like that to the Turks no one ever knew.

Though his body said otherwise, Veld still had a strong warriors face, old and haunted certainly also, but being the only Turk to ever successfully retire what could you expect? Though that retirement had come at a price, if you asked anyone except a select few where the legendary Veld could be found, most people would point you to a lonely gravestone in a quiet little cemetery.

Veld didn't wait around for pleasantries.

"You've got the Turks on your back for the president. Heideggar and Scarlet are running the show in his absence and needless to say with a military general and a psychotic head of weapons director in charge, they have turned Midgar and Junon into police states. Though both of them would quite frankly be thrilled if Rufus Shinra never returned, they are searching for him none the less to keep up appearances. Your chances of remaining or getting off this continent without being caught is slim at best"

Veld was never one to mince his words.

"Oh splendid, so what's the good news?" Kunsel chuckled.

"That was the good news. Reports of Sephiroth sightings are flooding in, some as close as the mithril mines only a few miles away from here. Those are only the reports from the people who survive, bodies are cropping up all over the place. Also Sephiroth was the one who tipped Shinra off about AVALANCHE's location so it would seem you have made an enemy of him, I don't think I need to point out that this means you have a pretty big problem on your hands"

"So where do we find him?" Cissnei put forward as Veld stood up abruptly and turned to leave.

"You don't, he finds you, if you're dumb enough to want that than I suggest you keep doing whatever it is you're doing and keep getting in his way"

"That's the thing, we don't even know what that way is, what exactly does he even want?", Kunsel slumped back, folding his hands behind his head.

Veld paused in the doorway

"This isn't a Q an A, you both know how this works and what I want from each of you in return. See that I get it", and with that the door swang closed behind him.

"...how delightful" Kunsel chirped sarcastically. "So to summarise... Sephiroth's pissed, phsychopaths worse than Rufus are running the joint and were subject to a nationwide man hunt. Did I miss anything?"

"Nope, that's about it" Cissnei sighed.

There was a moment of silence while they each locked away the newly aquired information into specific portions of their brains.

"So is Veld after the same thing from you as he is from me for that little piece of information?" Kunsel asked once he was sure Veld had left.

"Felicia?" Cissnei ventured carefully. Kunsel nodded.

"He'll never find her looking for that name, she goes by Elfe nowadays" he spoke in a hushed voice, giving up the information he would later exchange to Veld.

"His daughters that old AVALANCHE leader? interesting. I found out that Felicia was one of the ones taken by Hojo, she was proclaimed as a failed experiment" Cissnei shared in return.

"Blimey...hmmm... see I told you we make a great team" he winked before switching to a lighter subject of conversation. "So Cissnei, as we're here already, how about we get some lunch?"

Cissnei hesitated for a second but concluded that she could probably learn more from Kunsel than the couple of other informants she had in Kalm.

"Ok... but as long as you promise not to eyeball me the entire time" she wagged her finger at him.

Kunsel slapped on a fake puppy dog sad face as he leaned across the table, widening his eyes as far as possible.

"But I like to", he grinned.

* * *

**Chapter 17 Part 3- Bras and bandits**

Looking for a local brassiere shop, Jessie and Tifa eventually found one situated a few yards down a quiet narrow sideroad just off of the main square. Entering the shop that was surprisingly large considering the exterior, the only thing to greet them when they entered were a row of manakins clad in beautiful combinations of bra's, thongs and lingerie.

"Perhaps their closed?" Jessie pondered

"Ok then, let's go" Tifa rushed, pouncing on the opportunity to leave. Her nerves had been peaking gradually the closer they got to the store and now she was a wreck.

"Teef you make it seem like your about to get your tooth pulled at the dentist, relax, let's look around for a bit"

"Will I really need to take my top off?" she implored.

"She can hardly measure you properly while you have them strapped down in that undersized bra of yours" Jessie reasoned as she quickly closed a curtain she'd peaked behind leading to a more adult section of the store.

"Why can't I measure myself" Tifa protested.

"Because of the last five years that you've been wearing the wrong size bra is why, now stop fussing, the women here will have seen thousands of boobs in their time"

 _Not ones with massive great sword marks_ she grumbled in her head.

The sound of the bell tinkling attracted their focus to the front door to see a young girl stood frozen on the door mat staring at them silence. She was a tanned skinned girl with jet black shoulder length hair sectioned off by a black strip of cloth tied around her forehead. Sporting a very short pair of cream colored shorts and a sleeveless green jumper chopped at the waist, she certainly looked far too exotic to originally be from a place like Kalm.

"Hi" Jessie initiated first when the girl just stood there as if they couldn't see her. "Do you work here?"

The girl didn't reply for a while.

"... yes... yes I do" she finally announced boldly as she straightened up. "...yes I am the owner of this..." her eyes scanned around briefly "...porn shop"

"Aren't you a bit young to own your own shop?... especially one like this" Tifa quizzed.

"Young!? hey! I'll have you know I'm the greatest!... porn shop owner in the world..."

"Okay... well my friend here is looking to get measured" Jessie explained to the rather odd in her opinion shop owner.

The teenage girl looked confused at first but eventually cottoned on to what Jessie was referring to. Eyeing Tifa's chest she approached to take a closer look.

"oh... err.. ok lets see.. umm"

She circled around Tifa who's face had turned a lovely shade of red as she occasionally poked her boob and mumbled under her breath as if in deep analysis. At one point the girl even lifted the underside of Tifa's chest in both hands as if to feel the weight of them.

"Well they are... errr... big size" the girl summarized conclusively.

"Don't you need to actually measure her first?" Jessie frowned, beginning to find the woman very strange and unprofessional.

"No no! that's quite alright, I'll take the big size" Tifa spluttered wanting it to all be over, but her escape was interrupted by a sudden eager outburst from the store owner.

"Yes I will have to measure her won't I!? and we will need to go to a changing room for that meaning you'll have to leave your bags over here!"

"Why?" Jessie asked.

"Err... no bags in the changing room policy is why"

"That's ok, I'll wait here with our things" Jessie retorted.

"NO!... no you can't... I'm gonna need your... help... have you seen the size of those things? definitely a two person job"

Jessie's frown creased even further but Tifa simply resigned herself to getting it over with.

"You've seen them already so you might as well I suppose"

The young shop owner let out a triumphant cheer as they stashed their bags away in a 'secure' cupboard underneath the front desk.

"Err yes.. follow me" she mumbled clearing her throat when she recieved two strange looks.

After peaking behind various curtains and doors the young shop owner eventually led them to a discreet cubicle. Tifa's face reached a whole new level of redness when both Jessie and the girl turned to her expectantly. Heaving a sigh she began taking off her top and unclipping her bra which shot of her chest like an elastic band the moment she released the hooks. Tifa simply froze there exposed as an awkward silence ensued in which neither of the three woman quite knew where to place their eyes.

"Oh for heavens sake are you going to measure her or not!" Jessie eventually exploded at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

"Yes, yes I will...oh my, wait a minute...aren't I silly, I've forgotten my tape measure, now I will have to go back out to get it" the girl broadcasted as if she was reading from a script.

The owner skittered away out of the cubicle and Jessie huffed in annoyance while Tifa threw an arm across her chest to cover up. Not a single word was spoken the whole time they waited... and waited.

"How long can it take to get a bloody tape measure" Jessie growled after five minutes had passed and the girl had still not returned. The sound of the door tinkering outside rang so Jessie decided to stomp out of the changing room to see what was going on.

A tall elegant grey haired woman was walking into the store carrying a package which she nearly dropped in startled surprise when she saw Jessie.

"Oh I'm sorry my dear, I thought I could nip out quickly I wasn't expecting any customers, how can I help?"

"Yeah were still waiting for your boss to hurry up" Jessie fumed, becoming fed up with this establishment.

"My boss?" the woman replied in confusion.

"Yes! the young Wutai looking girl. Though quite frankly it doesn't seem like she has a clue what she's doing"

"I'm sorry my dear but I haven't the feintest idea what you are talking about"

Jessie stared at the woman for a length of time, checking to see that the woman was having her on. When the ladies expression didn't change from serious puzzlement Jessie's eyes widened and she ran behind the counter to find their bags were missing.

"Teef! we've been robbed!"

There was a hurried rustling in the changing room and a gasp from the elderly shop owner.

"Oh my! I'll call a town guard right away!" the woman flustered.

"No! no don't do that, we'll handle it" Jessie insisted, guards were the last thing they needed the attention of while they had the most powerful man in Gaia held hostage at the inn.

"Teef! didn't you hear me! we've been robbed!" she yelled again.

"...wait!.. yes I heard!... I can't... get... OH SCREW THIS BLOODY THING!"

A plain white bra came soaring out of the changing room followed by Tifa who had simply thrown her top back on. Her chest looked even bigger now they weren't being mercilessly lashed down by elastic.

"Our money! our supplies! our materia was all in there!" Tifa cried, looking behind the desk to witness the missing bags for herself.

"The electro-mag was in there too!" Jessie choked close to tears. "Look! she even had the nerve to leave a note!"

_Sorry red, sorry boobs, but this is the day you will always remember as the day you were tricked by the great ninja warrior princess Yuffie._

_Be sure to tell everyone that._

"Call Zack and the others" Tifa clenched, "we have a thief to catch"

* * *

**Chapter 17 Part 4- Bras and bandits**

"So tell me once again wha' ya' were doin' when ya' stuff got nicked?" Barret demanded, agitated to be pulled away from Marlene.

The whole group had gathered together in a quiet part of the square, except of course Red who was still watching Rufus.

"Like we already said! we were shopping ok" Jessie snapped as Tifa looked like she about to melt on the spot.

"Yeah but what shop? where?" Zack asked again.

"Just a clothes shop, she stole our stuff while we were getting changed" Jessie replied.

"What both of you? why didn't you just take your stuff in with you?" Cissnei frowned.

"The store had a no bags po... oh what does it matter!?", Jessie exclaimed, buckling under the groups scrutinizing stare.

"Well it would matter if we at least new which shop it was" Kunsel reasoned.

"Perhaps its personal" Aerith tried to contribute, sensing from Tifa's face where this was going.

"Look I was getting my chest measured in that store over there ok!" Tifa snapped pointing down the side road towards the building.

Everything went silent for a moment while a particularly wide eyed and awkward expression spread itself across Barret, Zack and Kunsel's faces.

"And?" Kunsel eventually put out there to receive an elbow to the ribs from Cissnei.

"No I didn't mean that!, I meant and how did that lead to some random girl stealing your stuff of course? surely the store put your things somewhere safe?"

"... well she was... kinda the one was doing the measuring" Tifa stammered looking like a beetroot by this point.

"Measuring your boobs?", Kunsel clarified to see that he was on the same page and receiving another elbow to the ribs, this time from Zack.

"Right well this girl can't have gone far, if we...", Zack's strategy plan was interrupted by a loud shout coming from the materia store across the square.

"THIEF! STOP HER!"

"Looks like were in luck" Zack grinned as a frenzied store owner pointed to the form of a slight teenage girl scrambling over the rooftops, balancing a stack of multicolored orbs in her arms and squealing every she dropped one to bounce down to the street below.

Nodding to Kunsel the two SOLDIERS took off ahead of the rest of the group who followed in pursuit. Leaping two stories in one bound onto the rooftops they both darted to flank the escaping girl from different sides. Spotting she was being chased she let out a yelp of surprise and ran faster, more materia bouncing away from her arms, this materia thief had certainly out done herself this time. She hopped between buildings, scuffing up and dislodging roof tiles along the way. Each new jump was becoming further and more daring as the buildings began to thin out. Though it was like a gentle game of hopscotch to Zack and Kunsel, they both couldn't help being rather impressed with the scrawny girls agility.

Eventually Zack thought it wouldn't be long before the girl hurt herself and decided to end the chase, he increased his speed as did Kunsel. As they gradually closed the distance on the desperate girl, she ruffled through the materia pile in her arms, panting as she bounded over a row of chimney pots. Finding the lowest grade materia she could find she hurled the orb behind her at Kunsel's head. The orb bounced lightly of his temple and Kunsel smiled, finding that he was rather enjoying the girls bold escape attempt.

"Careful! she's dangerous!" Kunsel yelled across to Zack in sarcastic amusement until a thin four-point shuriken whizzed past his head and slashed a light cut across his cheek. "WOAH! I take that back, she is dangerous!"

Making one last jump Zack could see the chase was about to come to an end, the next building was much too far away for the materia thief to make it. But when the girl didn't slow down and actually increased her speed Zack could hardly believe his eyes.

"Jeez she's gonna try and jump it!"

Low and behold the thief went for it and fell short of making the distance, though incredibly not by much. Jumping across with ease Zack plucked the girl out of mid air by the scruff of the neck before she could fall to what could well have been her death or at least a serious injury.

"LET ME GO YOU STUPID JERK!" she squawked furiously, thrashing and kicking about as he held her suspended over the edge by one arm.

"I hope you realize you could have got yourself killed just then"

"I TOTALLY HAD IT YOU SOLDIER FREAK, NOW LET ME GO!"

"Very well then"

Zack let the girl drop about two foot making her yelp.

"Wait wait wait!..." she pleaded. "Okay how about this? I'll cut you guys in twenty percent of the materia I stole?"

The girl flashed a cheeky hopeful pearly white grin at him as she chuckled nervously.

"Fifty percent?" she squeaked innocently when Zack's eyebrow remained raised, though in truth he was struggling to maintain the unamused expression.

When that didn't work the girl tried a different strategy, batting her eyelashes she raised her voice a couple of octaves to sound as sweet as she possibly could.

"Surely you wouldn't want to hurt a pretty girl like me would you?"

"Ha, this kid sure is full of it" Kunsel chuckled with his arms folded.

"Kid!? who you calling kid!?" the teenager bellowed. "And what are you exactly? his boyfriend?" the girl mocked angrily poking Zack in the forehead at arm's length before trying to switch back to the sweet and innocent act.

Zack inspected the clearly Wutain girls face closely, feeling like he recognised her and after a few seconds she stopped squirming and began to blush.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" he squinted in thought just as the others finally caught up after running through the streets below and climbing up the fire escape.

"No, no you don't!, I am the greatest ninja that ever lived and no one has ever seen my face before!, if you let me go I will grant you the privilege of being the only person to have ever seen..."

"Hey! give us back our materia!" Tifa interrupted angrily as she, Cissnei, Barret and Jessie approached, climbing one by one up the nearby fire escape.

"Oh... hey boobs"

"That was a cheap trick you pulled Yuffie, and stop calling me that!"

"Yuffie?... Yuffie..." Zacks eyes widened in realization, "Yuffie Kisaragi!? you're the little princess brat from Wutai. Your Lord Godo Kisaragi's daughter"

The girl kicked in a circular motion still suspended in the air to try and pivot her head away.

"No I'm not" she protested.

Kunsel moved to take a closer look.

"Hey I know I'm probably the most beautiful woman you've ever seen on this continent of trolls! but stop staring at me!" Yuffie cried indignantly.

"Well I'll be... that is her, you're a long way from home princess" Kunsel grinned crossing his arms again as Zack set the girl down onto the roof.

"Yo! anyone care on fillin' us in 'ere?" Barret shouted.

"This is the youngest daughter of the leader of Wutai. When we used to visit Wutai in SOLDIER on continued negotiation trips, this little princess here used to lay traps and ambushes for us in the temple. She got an entire unit trapped in a giant fish net for three hours one time"

"Hehe, that was a good one" Yuffie giggled at the recollection.

"Well ya ain't no damn princess over 'ere squirt! so give us back our stuff!" Barret growled.

"Fine! Sheesh! I hid your stuff behind a dumpster just outside of that porn shop boobs and red were looking in"

"Stop calling me that" Tifa repeated automatically. "And it wasn't a porn shop!"

"Thank you" Zack concluded after watching closely to see if the girl was lying and then turning to leave when he decided she wasn't.

"Ummm, you're not gonna get me arrested?" Yuffie mumbled in surprise.

"Nope" Zack replied walking away.

"Is it because you know you'll suffer my wrath if you do?"

"Uh-huh."

"Ahh it's because you want my help isn't it!?" Yuffie proclaimed as she ran after them.

"Unless you know where we might find a certain silver haired manic I don't think so" Kunsel waved the back of his hand at her dismissively.

"You mean that Sephiroth dude? yeah I saw him two days ago, I was gonna deal with that punk myself but I was... err.. busy."

The group stopped, making Yuffie grin mischievously with satisfaction.

"Where? where did you see him?" Zack pressed.

"Ahhh, so you do want my help!?... you'll have to beg me for it", Yuffie crossed her arms stubbornly.

Zack shrugged and turned away again as the group started climbing back down the ladder.

"Wait! Fine I'll help you! but only 'cos you asked!" she shrieked.

When no one replied Yuffie took that as an admission into the group and she rubbed her hands together victoriously.

"Hehehe, this is just perfect, I have 'em just where I want 'em" she snickered quietly under her breath.

"I heard that you know" Kunsel called from halfway down the fire escape.

Eyes widening she scrambled after them down the side of the building.

"Yeah I know! I was just joking, hey wait up!"


	18. Avoided recollection

**Chapter 18 Part 1- Avoided recollection**

"Can someone please remind me why tha' hell we still got this li'l pest with us!?"

Barret clamped his real hand to one side of his face in annoyance, Yuffie had not stopped jabbering the entire way as the group walked back to the inn. Aerith on the other hand was finding she was rather enjoying the girls happy, bubbly and completely over the top personality. Smiling, Aerith couldn't resist being secretly amused at seeing Cissnei become the latest target of 'the Yuffie attack', much to the relief of her previous victims.

"So let me get this straight, your one of those Turkey's and your with this lot why again?"

Cissnei sighed, where was a bottle of tequila when you needed it?

"For the fifth time it's 'Turk', I'm not one anymore, and I never told you why I am 'with this lot'"

"Hmmm you don't sound too sure", Yuffie hounded as she jumped in front of Cissnei forcing the ex-Turk to sidestep around her. The little ninja had a point, Cissnei wasn't so sure about her current personal or professional status, but she weren't about to start discussing that with a teasing sixteen year old princess.

"Yuffie is it? look, my reasons are my own ok?

"Ooooh I get it, you're the mysterious, 'don't make friends so easily', with a secret troubled past one of the group" Yuffie giggled light-heartedly as she threw an arm casually around Cissnei's shoulder.

Great... all she needed was another Reno in her life.

"You know, personally I think she's got you pretty spot on" Kunsel laughed, adjusting the pack of supplies on his back. Cissnei shot him what began as an attempted glare but ended in... well something different. Surely she wasn't that simple to read?

"Hey your past is just as much a mystery as mine mister!" Cissnei defended herself. "Just take how you haven't told us why everyone treats you like a town hero around here"

Though she had only meant her statement in a playful joking way, she didn't miss the briefest drop in Kunsel's expression making her regret her words. However as quickly as his expression fell he transformed it into a bold cheery smile but this time she wasn't fooled by it, he was over compensating.

"Kunsel I.."

"What can I say? I'm just that awesome" he quipped, cutting her of as if he didn't have a care in the world.

What had happened here? What had happened to him?

Yuffie pulled up to walk alongside Aerith as she observed the interaction between Kunsel and Cissnei, leaning into Aerith, Yuffie nudged the girl with her elbow.

"Psst, just me or is something going on between them?"

Aerith chuckled, glad she wasn't the only one to see it. "well I think so"

"So what's your story pinko?" Yuffie asked curiously, pinching at the fabric of Aerith's dress.

Pinko? Aerith grinned in recollection, the last time she'd been called that was by a drunk Jessie back at Tifa's bar, a night forever etched fondly in her memory.

"How do you mean?"

"Well I get this bunch'a ready for a fight grouches being lumped together, but you seem all light and sweetness, so what's your deal? hell I mean I even get Red over there" Yuffie inclined her head towards Jessie who was trying to convince Zack to let her zap him with the rod to test the new upgrades.

"I guess I just don't have a 'deal'" Aerith giggled, shrugging cheerfully as they arrived back at the inn. "Oh one more thing, you might need to find a new name for Jessie, Red's already kinda taken"

"Like really taken?" Yuffie frowned while swinging herself through the door by the wooden frame and slamming heavily onto the laminate floor, much to the annoyance of Albert on reception. "Who in Leviathan's name is actually called Red?"

"Ummm, we sorta gave it to him ourselves, we don't actually know his real name... or even if he has one for that matter", Aerith pondered that last point thoughtfully.

"Gave it to him? you make him sound like a pet dog" Yuffie spoke absently as she plunged her hand into the welcome bowl of mints, grabbed a huge handful and winked to Albert as they passed by the front desk to the stairs.

"Lion actually... I think... or a tiger wolf... we're not too sure... anyway, he's a really nice person"

Yuffie paused on the stairwell making Barret grumble angrily while looking at Aerith as if she had sprouted a second head "Now I get your deal, you're the crazy one"

"You'll see for yourself" Aerith grinned.

"Why will she?"Barret roared, "can someone still explain to me why this blasted kid is still even 'ere!?"

Yuffie barked back as she shoved past Aerith on the stairwell to jab Barret numerous times in the chest. "Hey grampa! I'm here because I got info on that Sephiroth dude you need, and because I'm the most skilled ninja warrior fighter outta the lot of ya', and because I have a ton of special royal connections, and because unlike you I am a barrel of joy to be around!"

"Ye well, ya' try to steal any of are shit again and I'll wrap ya' up and box ya' back to bongo bongo land or wherever the hell ya' from"

Yuffie growled at Barret's insult to Wutia as she crouched into a fighting stance. Pushing off the stairs she lunged at Barret with a battle cry but was once again plucked out of the air by her green cropped jumper as Zack returned from dropping his bag off in the main room.

"Yuffie, if you want to hang around I suggest you don't get on the group leader's bad side" Zack advised letting the girl dangle for a while before setting her down.

Barret looked momentarily taken aback by being referred to by Zack as 'the group leader', though it only lasted a second before he turned to smile smugly at Yuffie.

"Him leader!? who's stupid idea was that!... I call for a democratic election! all in favor of the great ninja warrior princess Yuffie being leader, please raise your hand!"

Yuffie shot her arm in the air, followed by the other arm when noone elses did. Looking around distraught she gave Aerith an angry poke in the ribcage, grabbed her arm and forced it up overhead . Zack simply shook his head amused, Yuffie hadn't changed much from the eleven year old tear away he met five years ago.

Freed of his own pack, Zack offered out his hand to take Aerith's bag which she accepted with a grateful warm smile. She was finding even the smallest actions were making her love him more and more. The contact of his hand as it briefly brushed over hers, the momentary locking of their eyes, these little occurrences were becoming ever more frequent and always made Aerith's stomach flutter with excitement. It was as if after entering into a new and unexplored phase of whatever their relationship now was they had become more attuned and receptive to one another. It made Aerith nervous, excited, scared and yet so truly, deeply happy all at the same time. He smiled back, letting her know he was experiencing all the same emotions that she was. At that point if they thought they could get away with sharing a kiss without a certain self-proclaimed ninja going haywire about it they would have.

Yuffie however for all her faults, or qualities, depending on how you wanted to look at it, was despite all things very perceptive at reading people and interactions, as Aerith was quickly beginning to find out. While Zack continued up the stairs Yuffie yanked Aerith back by the red sleeveless cardigan she was wearing.

"Ahhh now I get your deal, you're with this lot because he's your boyfriend isn't he?" Yuffie pried.

Aerith grinned broadly at hearing Zack being referred to as her boyfriend, it sounded wonderful. Yuffie's question however had her completely at a loss for words, what exactly was she supposed to say? Sure her and Zack had shared three truly wonderful kisses together in the space of seventy-two hours, they had even exchanged those three magic words to each other. But actually confirming that they were officially in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship was still unspoken between them. I mean was this really the right time to start building a relationship while they were trying to stop a massive evil corporation and a supposed to be dead psychotic mass murderer from potentially destroying the planet? Was Zack even ready yet after everything he had been through for a relationship?

Perhaps she was over thinking it, was it even something that really needed 'confirming'? Come on, they had even held hands a large portion of the way to Kalm, surely that was something only a boyfriend/girlfriend would do?

Then her mind registered that while she had been over analysing everything like her brain often did, Yuffie was giving her strange look, still waiting for an answer. Gaia she wanted to say yes to Yuffie, she wanted to scream it to her but she just didn't know if that was where she and Zack were right now.

She needed to know.

"I'm gonna need a rain check on answering that one Yuffie" Aerith hurried as she rushed to catch up with Zack. She pulled him to one side just before entering the room, waiting until all the others went in.

"Everything alright?" he asked looking slightly concerned.

"Yeah I just... there's something I wanna talk with you about", lord why was she so nervous all of a sudden? "It's fine! it's nothing bad or anything!" she quickly added when Zack began looking even more worried.

"I just... I wanna know" she inhaled a deep breath, "where are we Zack?"

"Ummm, Kalm?" he replied slightly confused.

"No, I mean where are we... as in us... this", she took his hand in hers and held it close to her chest hoping to get her point across. He still didn't seem to quite understand what she meant and now she was just beginning to feel foolish. The rest of the group was waiting and Zack's mind was probably preoccupied with how he was gonna dredge up the past about Sephiroth. She realized now she had chosen possibly the worst time to try to have this conversation, it especially didn't help that they could hear Yuffie screeching on the other side of the door. She had probably just met Red.

"Sorry this was stupid..." she mumbled, "ignore me". She turned to hurry away into the room but Zack pulled her gently back, a soft and even slightly amused smile on his face. Pulling her right into his body Zack wrapped an arm around her waist and planted a delicate kiss on her lips. She dissolved as his fingers traced up the side of her neck... heavens she could get used to this, and yet at the same time she could never get used to this.

"Aerith, I want this, I want us, I want us to be tog..."

There could never have been a more cliché interruption of a precious moment then Yuffie at that second screaming wildly as the sound of frenzied shouts and crashing furniture deafened them as loudly as if they were actually in the room.

Startled they ran into the room to see Yuffie on top of Rufus Shinra, pinning him to the floor beside a knocked over table. She was swinging and swiping at the man in a frenzy while Jessie and Cissnei tried to drag her off him and Barret cheered her on in the corner.

"Can someone get this brat off me before I get her off myself!" Rufus bellowed defending his face.

"Woah! Yuffie! what's going on?!" Zack shouted above her furious ranting.

"He's Shinra! he's the one who destroyed Wutai! he's the one who killed thousands of my people! he's the reason Wutia is now a joke tourist town!"

Zack pulled the practically deranged girl off Rufus and spun her to face him.

"Yuffie stop! Yuffie calm down!", tears were streaming out of the girls eyes as Zack held her by her shaking shoulders.

"That was my father you stupid girl" Rufus spat angrily dusting himself off.

"Shut up! you shut up!" Yuffie wailed lunging for him again but was held fast by Zack.

"Yuffie listen to me! stop!... we have him here because were gonna make him see that Shinra doesn't have to be that way, the way his father ran things. Were gonna make him see we all have a bigger problem on our hands and we need to work together. We're not gonna let Shinra continue the way things were... I promise... Yuffie you have to trust me"

The young woman gradually calmed down, composed herself, nodded and then turned away to hide her face in shame that they had seen her crying. Upon hearing Zack tell the girl that he would change Shinra, Rufus made a scoffing sound in the background. Whirling around Zack turned on him forcefully.

"As much as you might hate to admit it Rufus! Sephiroth is your problem as well! it was Shinra that created him, it was Shinra that drove him insane and what's to say you're not next on his hit list?!"

"I can handle Sephiroth" Rufus growled, shoving past Zack to go stand near the room window.

"Just like your father handled him?" Tifa pointed out.

"My father was weak..." Rufus muttered quietly, gazing out into the now virtually empty square as the last remaining hour of light clung dimly over the town. "I will bring Shinra into a new age of power, I will be greater than my father"

"I don't think you get it Rufus" Kunsel remarked sourly leaning against the closed-door with his arms folded. "If Sephiroth gets his way there won't be a Shinra"

"Sephiroth Sephiroth! Sephiroth this! Sephiroth that! why does it seem tha's all I keep hearin' lately!? he's just one punk for cryin' out loud. Le's jus' deal with him!" Barret bellowed in frustration.

"Sephiroth is stronger than you can possibly imagine" Zack replied darkly shaking his head.

"Zack... I think it's time you told us about this Sephiroth" Red urged from where he was perched beside Aerith, her hand linked through his fur.

Zack heaved a sigh and ran a hand through his own hair, not quite sure where to begin. He looked around at the group, Kunsel was leaning against the door alert for eaves dropper's with Cissnei close by, Barret and Jessie sat on a bed like Aerith and Red, Rufus was still gazing out the window, Yuffie had moved to be alone in the corner and Tifa was not far away, knowing how hard this was gonna be for him... for the both of them.

Sighing he began.

"I knew Sephiroth better than anyone, we were friends, good friends. Sephiroth was a good person back then... It was four years ago..."

* * *

**Chapter 18 Part 2- Avoided recollection**

Sephiroth smirked, a truck of cadets and Zack was the closest one to being a child of the lot, a ten-hour ride and he had not once sat still. He had now set to bouncing and squatting energetically on the spot.

"Sit down Zack, you're making Strife ill"

"Hehe, you'll be alright Spike" Zack assured cheerily ruffling his young friends head which had spent most of the journey between his knees. "... I just don't get it, surely you came from Nibelheim by car?"

The horrific recollection set Cloud's gag reflex off,"...uggg... gahh... stop!".

"If he's sick, you're cleaning it up" Sephiroth warned sitting rigidly upright with Masamune laying sheathed across his lap, a position he had not shifted from in the last ten hours.

"Hey Seph!, that don't sound like the kind of duty a second in command should be made to do... you know, the position yoooouuu gave me", Zack puffed his chest out proudly as Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

"Yes, a decision I am very much regretting after this little trip. Oh and keep calling me 'Seph' and I'll be forced to start calling you Zachary again"

"That's not the rules!" Zack protested, very much not wanting Sephiroth to revert back to full naming him, it had taken two years to finally break Sephiroth down to calling him Zack.

"Rules?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah the rules, your allowed to shorten a person's name but you can't make it longer" Zack stated confidently, breaking into a string of lunges.

"...Chocobo-head... is longer than... Cloud... ughh" Cloud gurgled.

"That's different Spike" Zack patted his friends head dismissively with a heavy hand. "It's the unwritten rule of friendship" Zack proclaimed.

"Zack, I am your commanding officer, we are not 'friends'" Sephiroth attempted to sternly tell the pup.

"Yeah yeah yeah, like I haven't heard that one before. Let me guess, you agreed to take on this mission to check out some mako reactor malfunction all the way out here because you fancied a nice mountain retreat and not as a favor to me?"

Sephiroth internally grinned, Zack had spent weeks trying to convince him to come on this trip to Nibelheim so the cadet Strife could visit his hometown. His true reason for finally agreeing to come was because their had been rumours of Genesis sightings in the area. While he might normally have told that to Zack, it was far too tempting an opportunity to keep Zack believing he was doing him a favor in exchange for what Zack had bribed him with to go... an entire month of agreeing to first knock on his office door before simply bursting in unannounced. It was a habit Sephiroth was having much difficulty in training out of the pup. It started getting particularly infuriating when Sephiroth would enter his own office just to find Zack already lounging around in their, often fiddling with his things.

Sephiroth was interrupted from his reverie by a mighty crash against the side of the truck, causing it to skid sideways in the mud that the thundering dark night of rain had turned to sludge.

Gliding off his seat with Masamune instantly in his grasp he leaped from the back of the truck, drawing the seven-foot blade from its sheath. Zack and the cadet Strife clambered out to join him in the fiercely cold and wet foothills of Nibelheim.

"HOLY SHIT!" Zack yelled in alarm, drawing the attention of the target that Sephiroth already had his eyes darkly focused on.

"Very well done Zachary" Sephiroth commented sarcastically.

Zack grit his teeth as he drew his second Shinra blade in favour of the buster sword on his back. "Zack, Sephiroth... it's Zack"

"What? what is it?" Cloud stammered anxiously, unable to see the fourty foot black dragon stalking towards them in the darkness like their enhancements allowed them to.

"Black dragon" Sephiroth stated bluntly, not that he really needed to, Strife would see it soon enough and no doubt he would run screaming.

"Black dragon!?" Cloud exclaimed, "but those things never leave the mountains!"

"Then something must be drawing it down!" Zack yelled above the rain.

"Or scaring it out..." Sephiroth muttered more to himself than anyone.

Could this be Genesis' doing? Since nearing Nibelheim his senses had certainly started spiking. You see Genesis was unique, he had what no other SOLDIER had, he had G-cells, an entirely different branch of enhancements that professor Hollander worked with. Typically SOLDIER could only sense matching cells, S-cells to S-cells, but extended time with Genesis had taught Sephiroth to sense those new cells in him and later on in Angeal as well.

These however weren't G-cells he was sensing now, these were S-cells, calling to him from far off in the distant mountains. More S-cells than he had ever felt before.

The black dragon drew closer, picking up its pace and snarling once it was close enough to decide that they were an enemy.

"Strife, stay back!" Sephiroth ordered when much to his surprise the cadet did not flee and had the courage to simply stare in wide-eyed horror at the creature instead.

Taking the head while Zack took the body they charged at the beast. Sephiroth took a series of slashes at the creatures face while dancing around its clumsy attempts to bite him. Though he attacked with focus and technique his swings were more playful than anything. It would be far too easy to simply drive the Masamune through this creatures skull and end it now, but after ten hours being cooped up he wanted to spread his wings. Metaphorically as opposed to literally in this particular instance. Zack too seemed grateful for the chance to stretch out though he was putting considerable more effort into the battle.

Once they had enraged the creature enough it released a jet of searing hot flames towards them, evaporating the rain straight out of the air. Sephiroth magic barriered the spell lazily while Zack took a more energetic approach of twisting, ducking and jumping over the waves of fire the black dragon threw at them. Caught off guard and taking a minor slip in awareness Zack was struck by a swing of the creatures tail and was sent flying out into the darkness. While Sephiroth knew the blow was not sufficient enough to damage someone enhanced like Zack, the cadet Strife however did not.

"ZACK!" Cloud panicked, drawing his blade with great effort he charged at the beast.

"Cloud no!" Zack yelled a little too late, landing on his feet unharmed.

With one powerful swing of its arms the dragon swiped Cloud of the ground to go skittering across the floor like a rag doll making Zack shriek in alarm. Deciding enough was enough Sephiroth lunged between the monsters crazed thrashing and drove Masamune all the way through the underside of the dragons jaw, exiting straight through the top of its head.

The creatures body went limp, thirty tons of dragon propped up by Sephiroth with a single arm. Discarding the creatures body to one side like he was tossing away a dish clothe Sephiroth flicked the dark black blood off his blade and re-sheathed the sword.

"CLOUD! OH GOD CLOUD! HELP! HEEELLPP!"

Sephiroth jogged over to inspect the boy, shoving a hysterical Zack who was clutching the boy on his kness out the way. Cloud was unconscious with a nasty welt mark across his torso but other than that nothing too serious.

"HE'S DEAD! OH JESUS SEPH HE'S DEAD!"

Sephiroth winced at the mans volume bellowing in his ear, Zack knew full well he wasn't dead, this was just a part of Zack's mother hen act he always performed when one of his cadets and particularly Cloud Strife got injured. Sighing he turned the hilt of Masamune towards Cloud and began channeling the fully upgraded life three materia he had equipped. It was a materia he seldom used and if it wasn't for Zack's hysteria he would have left the cadet to wake up of his own accord so that a splitting headache and a painfully bruised abdomen would teach the boy a lesson about being so stupid and reckless in the future. Casting the spell Cloud was soon sat back upright with Zack making a fuss. Unfortunately Strife would now be right as rain physically, but Sephiroth would make sure that Cloud wasn't going to escape being taught a valuable lesson.

"Cadet Strife!" he barked coldly. Considering the boys eyes widened every time Sephirorth even spoke to him in a normal tone, his eyes looked close to exploding from his head at this point.

"...sir?" Cloud tentatively squeaked.

"Is that anyway to address your commander?" Sephiroth hissed in his standard military authority accent.

"SIR! SORRY SIR!" Cloud saluted while jumping hastily to his feet with the unneeded help of Zack.

"You disobeyed a direct order and engaged a foe when you were specifically ordered not to", he towered over the gradually shrinking cadet.

"Come on Seph, give him break will ya?" Zack implored, knocking Cloud's hand out of the rigid salute.

Sephiroth ignored Zack and pointed the sheathed Masamune at Cloud.

"You will be made to do double nightly patrol duties for the remainder of this mission. Do I make myself clear?"

"SIR! YES SIR!"

"May this teach you a valuable lesson Strife. Never take on an opponent without first knowing both yours and its capabilities, that is how you wind up dead", with that Sephiroth turned and began trudging up the muddy path through the rain. "We continue the rest of the way on foot!"

"Bah! come on Spike let's go, forget about him, deep down he knows it took guts for you to do what you just did", Zack bumped his fist twice against Cloud's chest.

"Thanks Zack"

"Unless you want to make it triple patrol duties I would suggest you don't fall behind Strife!" Sephiroth called back menacingly through the rain as he marched up the long thunderous hill.

"Ahh you hang in there little Chocobo-head" Zack chirped giving Cloud a gentle push in the right direction. "I believe in you buddy, one day you'll even be able to kick Sephiroth's butt I just know it"

Sephiroth chuckled lightly under his breath.

"That would be the day Zachary... that would be the day"


	19. Descent into madness

* * *

**Chapter 19 Part 1 **\- Descent into madness****

Sephiroth could only best describe the feeling as walking into an invisible black fog that grew thicker with every step he took, clouding his mind until eventually he was struggling to even focus on the reason they were even here in the first place. This place... Nibelheim... a remote nothing of a town filled with backwards nobodies, scuttling away into their houses as they approached during the early hours of the morning. He was glad for the people's evasiveness, for some reason just the sight of them and the very knowledge of their existence irritated him, even Zack was managing to get on his nerves. Of course Zack always managed to do that, but usually Sephiroth could brush it off, even take amusement from it. Now the thought of cutting the mans tongue from his head seemed almost too appealing.

Fortunately Zack had picked up on his current temperament and had quietened down, believing the long wet muddy walk was responsible for his foul mood. It wasn't the weather to blame, it was something more than that, something about this place made it impossible for him to keep his mind focused on the mission at hand as his thoughts wandered darkly. Thoughts about his existence, his lab confined upbringing, the excruciating pain they'd inflicted on him, who he was, where he came from, his mother... Jenova. Thoughts he believed he had long-buried.

"So how does it feel?"

The question left his mouth before he had a chance to think about it as he turned on Cloud Strife at the entrance of the little town.

"It's your first time back to your hometown in a long time right?... so how does it feel?"

There was an edge of annoyance and aggression to his voice, an annoyance that if he was honest with himself he felt because he would never know how it felt to return to a home... he'd never had a home.

"Ummmm how about your parents?"

It was only when Strife spoke that Sephiroth realized he had spoken those last thoughts about home out loud.

"My mother was called Jenova, she died right after she gave birth to me. My father..."

His words cut off as a bout of dark laughter took control of him, quite why it did he didn't know when really the thought of who his father was made him boil with unfathomable rage. This place was beginning to make him feel uneasy and far more dangerously still, unhinged. Zack and the three cadets were now staring blankly at him in confusion which only served to annoy him further.

"What does it matter!?" he spat viciously.

"Gee Seph... take it easy" Zack muttered uneasily, "let's just rest up ok? this reactors been on the blip for months now, one more day isn't going to hurt"

Zack rested a steadying hand on his shoulder and for a brief moment Sephiroth felt his lips curls into a snarl from the contact, an action that even alarmed himself. Realizing his actions the pent-up rage escaped his body with a heavy sigh, Zack was right, the reactor could wait, he needed to get his head straight.

"We leave for the reactor at dawn, be sure if you're not on patrol duty you get to sleep early" he glared at Cloud, reminding him of his punishment. "In the meantime... you may visit your family and friends", though he spoke to the whole group his disdainful gaze never left Cloud, there was something about this cadet that was quite frankly... pissing him off.

Perhaps it was the thought that here was some lowly cadet, inferior to him and yet he had everything that Sephiroth would never have, a home, a family, a mother who would be waiting to greet him with open arms later that day, things that no amount of training or killing would ever get him. Or perhaps there was a deeper reason for his dislike of Cloud Strife, though he wasn't going to waste another minute thinking about it.

Zack and the others watched silently as Sephiroth left to retire at the inn, speechless at the commanders sudden turn of mood.

"I don't know what's gotten into him... the walk wasn't that bad" Zack mumbled, frowning at the building.

"I don't think he likes me very much" Cloud sighed despondently. "I think it's because of what I did back at the black dragon"

"Nah don't talk stupid, he's probably just grouchy 'cos he got his hair wet" Zack lied, though in truth even he could see that Sephiroth had taken a clear disliking to Cloud and later he was sure as hell gonna find out why.

"Anyway now were here Spike, lead the way" Zack clapped and rubbed his hands together determinedly, changing the subject.

"...way?" Cloud puzzled.

"Yeah... to Tifa's house... durr"

"Zack we are not going to Tifa's house!" Cloud exclaimed as if he had just suggested they jump into a pit of hungry Nibel wolves.

"What?! that's the whole reason we came here!"

"I came here to see my mom"

"Well yeah that too obviously, but also so Tifa can see you brushing shoulders with the greatest SOLDIER in the Shinra army that ever lived, oh and with Sephiroth too of course. She'll be putty in your hands Cloudy"

"I'm not gonna do that Zack" Cloud protested walking away.

"You flaming well are!" Zack firmed grabbing Cloud back by the ridge of his helmet. "If you think you're leaving here without telling Tifa how you feel so I have to watch you mope around back at the barracks for the next few months, then I'll be changing your name from chocobo-head to chocobo-brain from now on"

"I'm not discussing it anymore" Cloud retorted, shoving away the fist Zack was tapping against his head.

Walking away again he only made it ten yards before...

"TIFA! TIFA LOCKHART!"

As if the black dragon had spawned back to life and was chasing after him, Cloud bolted in terror towards Zack to clamp a hand against his mouth.

"SHHHH! Fine! I'll go see Tifa!" Cloud hissed. "But you're not coming!"

Zack grinned ruffling his friends head as he always liked to do, "that's the spirit Spike".

Watching as Cloud stumbled away shakily on a pair of jelly legs he called after him one last time.

"Oh and Cloud, if I find out that you chickened out... I shall be furious..."

Cloud turned to give Zack a brief look that was somewhere in between 'I hate you' and 'why me?'.

* * *

**Chapter 19 Part 2 **\- Descent into madness****

The supposed day of rest did little to settle Sephiroth's anguish, if anything it had made it worse. He hadn't slept most of the night, opting to stare for countless hours out of the inn window and into the mountains. Some magnetic like force was pulling his mind towards those dark peaks and it had taken every ounce of will power for him not to take off that night on wing or foot.

The single hour of rest he had managed to fall into had only served to exhaust him further. There had been a voice, a woman's voice, asking him to come to her, saying she loved him, telling him he was special, talking about being his mother...

It was not an entirely illogical dream to fantasize about he reasoned the next morning, the subject had after all been plaguing his mind most of the previous day. Though there was some small part of him that wished the voice was real, that it wasn't just a dream and he hated that part, it was weak.

They were now waiting outside the gates of the Shinra mansion at the base of the foothills that lead into the mountains for Cloud Strife. Zack was stood next to the young female mountain guide they'd hired, looking unmistakably proud of himself. For some reason he had pestered Sephiroth profusely about allowing the girl to come, saying her help would be invaluable. He wasn't entirely convinced and knew Zack had some other motive for bringing the girl but he was too tired and preoccupied with his thoughts to put up more of a fight after the second no had failed.

Cloud Strife finally made an appearance, jogging wearily up the path towards them and though he had his helmet on the boy looked as tired as Sephiroth felt. It was probably a bad idea making Cloud do the double patrol duty at night when they were about to enter some potentially dangerous mountains that day.

"You're late" he growled as the cadet approached but the boy didn't seem to hear him as Cloud focused and froze at the sight of the female mountain guide.

"... what?" Cloud eventually stammered after finally clocking the death stare Sephiroth was giving him. Intensifying his glare Cloud withered under his gaze, realizing the inappropriate and sloppy response he had given his superior.

"SIR! SORRY SIR!" he corrected urgently with a salute. Sephiroth frowned angrily, for some reason the cadet was speaking in a tone a number of octaves deeper than his normal voice.

"Are you mocking me cadet!" he bellowed.

"SIR! NO SIR!" Cloud squeaked, his voice sliding to the other side of the spectrum.

Zack simply observed shaking his head in disappointment, not because of Cloud's late arrival or sloppy salute, but because Cloud's nervous staring at Tifa, the sound of his thundering heart and the hiding behind his helmet made it clear to Zack that Cloud had still not spoken to her.

"Well miss Lockhart, lead the way" Sephiroth ordered sceptically after sufficiently barraging Cloud with enough fury to give the boy nightmares for the next few months.

"You can call me Tifa" the girl giggled approaching Sephiroth with surprising confidence, most people at least stammered nervously when they first met him, if they didn't lock up completely that is.

"P-p-please look after my daughter" pleaded a slim nervous looking man who Sephiroth guessed was the girl's father.

"Dad! we've been over this already! I have two men from SOLDIER with me, I'll be alright" Tifa choked with embarrassment.

"Let's go" Sephiroth cut forcefully losing patience.

The group moved out, Cloud keeping a nervous but focused distance away from Tifa. Elbowing him in the ribs Zack yanked Cloud back.

"You didn't speak to her!" he whispered angrily.

"Shhhh... I was too busy catching up with mom and lost track of the time"

"Lier!, she doesn't even know you're here does she?" he hissed prodding the front of Cloud's visor.

"Not yet... but I will!" Cloud yelped when Zack looked like he was about to call out to her.

"You damn straight you will! once we get to the reactor you can wait outside with her... and you better not stand there silently the entire time! it's starting to get creepy enough as it is"

"...what?... what should I say?"

"Anything! just talk to her... I dunno tell her something funny... OOOH! tell her about the time we tried to sneak into the training simulation room and you got your head stuck in the ventilation shaft for three hours! that was hilarious"

"Hilarious?! I got in serious trouble for that! plus it was all your fault! you lied and told me you used to sneak in through there all the time... I knew I couldn't fit but you just kept on pushing"

See! it's still funny! she'll love it!" Zack wheezed in quiet hysterics.

"It wasn't funny! I was made to do fifty laps of the training yard for that!" Cloud glared.

"OH GOD!... PLEASE STOP!" Zack exploded with laughter.

"Sometimes I wonder why I'm friends with you..."

* * *

**Chapter 19 Part 3 **\- Descent into madness****

The walk to the reactor had been dramatic to say the least, though for Sephiroth the inner turmoil of the trek greatly overshadowed the external turmoil they faced. The reactor malfunction had spilled residual mako into the mountainous environment and it reflected in the strength and aggression of the monsters they encountered. Encounters which unfortunately due to a bridge collapse had been a lot more frequent as they were forced off the beaten track. Despite the diversion into more dangerous territory, Tifa Lockhart still seemed to know her way in successfully navigating the area, knowledge that Sephiroth was sure her father would be livid over if he found out about it.

By the time they arrived at the reactor nestled deep in the mountains, it felt as if every inch of his clothing had been lined with lead. He could hardly breath from the sheer intensity of the overpowering S-cells he was sensing, so much so that he was at a total loss as to why Zack was not feeling them. Fortunately he was able to keep the others from noticing his struggle, except of course from the one person who knew him best.

"Everything alright Seph?" Zack frowned with concern.

"Fine" he replied bluntly, clutching the metal rail of the stairs leading into the reactor so hard he could feel it buckling beneath his hand. "The girl waits out here"

"I'm going inside too! I wanna see!" Tifa cried in protest.

"This reactor contains a number of Shinra's industrial secrets, authorized personnel only"

"Hey that's not fair! I didn't hike all the way up here just to stand outside!"

"I will say no more on the matter..."

The girl looked like she was about to shout another objection but settled on pouting angrily instead.

"Ahh don't be upset about it, it'll be boring as hell in their anyway" Zack assured. "We're just gonna turn a few valves here, press the odd button or two over there and we'll be done. Besides... you'll keep her company WON'T YOU?" he eyed Cloud forcefully who nodded meekly.

"*Humph*... well you better take good care of me" he heard Tifa strop to Cloud as he ascended the stairs after Sephiroth who had already gone ahead. Walking into the reactor he let out a small silent prayer that Cloud wouldn't lose his nerve.

Entering the harsh metal cage-like environment, the smell of mako fumes soon greeted him, Gaia he hated that smell. Keeping a close eye out for any broken pipes or signs of leaks he took a fairly unconventional route down a pair of thick chains suspending a narrow walkway above a pit of mako. The green boiling swirl far below glowed and radiated with a phenomenal amount of heat. Saying he would be pleased to be out of this place as soon as possible was an understatement.

Spotting no obvious faults he walked briskly towards an open chamber door that Sephiroth must have opened and was lead into a room that quite frankly, confused him. Zack had seen a fair share of reactors in his time and none of them had had an area like this before. There were rows and rows of oval-shaped tanks stacked in neat rows ascending either side of a set of stairs leading up to where Sephiroth was stood facing towards a second door.

"... Jenova... what is this?... he said my mothers name was Jenova..." Sephiroth spoke absently staring at a sign above the door that did in fact say the name of the woman he believed to be his mother.

"He?" Zack asked calmly, approaching slowly as if he were stalking a deer that could take off at any minute.

"My father... he told me my mothers name was Jenova... Hojo said she died giving birth to me..."

"Hojo!?"

Zack didn't mean to be so abrupt and insensitive about Sephiroth's inadvertent revelation of who his father was, but that information was about as unbelievable as saying president Shinra was father to the easter bunny.

Sephiroth turned to face down at him, a look of unsuppressed rage across his face that he had accidentally given away a secret he had planned to take with him to the grave. Zack took a recoiling step back, Sephiroth honestly looked like he was considering slicing Zack's head open to extract the information back.

"Seph... Hojo's crazy... that man would make up all kinds of twisted lies..."

"Don't you think I had it checked out? do you think I simply accepted that the man who tortured and mocked me all my growing life was my father?"

Sephiroth's voice and face had turned completely void of emotion and Zack knew that was a dangerous sign.

"Look, so what if your dad's a total jerk? you've turned out ok, perhaps a tad socially awkward but were working on that" Zack tried to make light of the situation.

"That valve over there is the reason for the malfunction" Sephiroth stated plainly, pointing to one of the oval tanks further down the stairs and walking away from the mysterious door.

"Don't you want to...?" Zack pointed towards the door labelled 'Jenova'.

"The valve Zack" Sephiroth interrupted abruptly.

The last thing Zack was going to do at that moment was push the man, so he moved to the valve in question and tightened six rotations of slack.

"... is this what I am?... is this how I was made?" Sephiroth growled sounding almost inhuman.

"Huh?", Zack turned to see Sephiroth peering into a porthole window of one of the oval tanks.

"... I always knew I was different... but not like this... NOT LIKE THIS!"

Zack jumped in alarm as Sephiroth drew Masamune with a crazed shout and hacked viciously at the tank, sparks and screeching metal rang out painfully as he slashed away uncontrollably.

"WOAH! Seph! chill!" Zack cried in shock.

Masamune changed course and was swung unthinkingly at Zack who drew the buster sword just fast enough to block the strike.

"The hell! take it easy will you!"

"Look in the tank...", Sephiroth's voice was almost inaudible from how deep he had pitched his voice. "Look... in the tank" he repeated almost demonically when Zack just stared at him startled.

It took a great deal of faith for Zack to lower his sword at that point and turn his back on Sephiroth still clutching his. Staring into one of the tanks Zack's breath hitched as his heart climbed into his throat. Within a pool of swirling green mako was a creature more frightening than any Zack had seen before. Perhaps what was most terrifying about these monsters besides the hard blue scaly skin and the gruesome teeth eroded into sharp fangs, was how human they looked. Their features and structure resembled that of a person and their expressions one of contorted pain that had over countless years turned to malevolence.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Zack bellowed catapulting backwards onto his rear.

"Makonoids... once SOLDIER men or woman who have been saturated with as much mako as can be humanly tolerated"

"NO!... no way!"

"This is Hojo's attempts at replicating the way he created me, this is how I was made. This is my true form... I am one of these monsters"

"That's not true! you don't look anything like one of those things"

"Simply because I have been infused with the same amount of mako as these things, but over a longer, and no doubt tedious for Hojo, period of time. This is just a faster, more effective way at recreating versions of me that can be controlled easier"

"Well I'm not buying it! there's no way you're one of those things Seph! besides, how do you know all this?"

"I don't... it's just my theory, but one thing I know is I am gonna get answers. On these, on Jenova... on everything that has gone on here"

Sephiroth glided purposefully past Zack towards the exit, a look of insanity on his face and for a second Zack could no longer recognize his friend.

"Where are you going?" Zack called after him.

"The place that will have all the answers I seek... Shinra mansion"

* * *

**Chapter 19 Part 4- Descent into madness**

_An at first presumed dead organism was found in a two-thousand year old geological stratum. Professor Faramis Gast named that organism, Jenova._

_X year, X month, X day. Jenova confirmed to be an ancient._

_Jenova project approved, the use of mako reactor one, approved for use._

"Jenova project... my mothers name was Jenova... this is no coincidence... professor Gast, why didn't you tell me anything? why did you have to die?"

As Sephiroth poured through book after book and document after document, the rage growing inside of him grew stronger by the day. professor Gast had been the one person who had shown him kindness when he was growing up as a child. If it hadn't of been for Gast Sephiroth was almost certain his mind would have snapped in those early days. He had always believed Gast had been honest with him, told him the truth of who he was, he had even come to see him as the father he wished he had. To now discover that even Gast had lied to him, had kept secrets from him about his mother and telling him she had died, the anger of betrayal threatened to break him.

_It is because he never really loved you, he betrayed you, as is the nature of this entire worthless species._

For three days the voice in his head that had once been confined to his sleeping mind now whispered to him freely. Twisting his mind, guiding him towards what to read and what not to read. While he may have dismissed the manipulation under normal circumstances, the love and affection the distinctly female voice spoke to him drew him like a moth to a flame.

_I would never betray you my son_

_I love you, come to me, let us be together once more  
_

_Sephiroth, I am your mother and I love you dearly_

Days passed without rest or sleep as she guided him through the extensive library, he was vaguely aware of when Zack and even Cloud Strife made the occasional appearance, urging him to eat, urging him to take a break.

_Don't listen to those traitors my darling son, they are trying to stray you from your path, just as they have strayed from theirs_

"Traitors? path?"

_Let me show you_

The cool sensation of a small tender hand guiding his softly across the library didn't startle him as much as he clung to it like a child clinging to its mother. The contact disoriented him and as his senses began to daze the brief flickers of an ethereal form of a woman began to appear, walking in front of him, holding his hand. The blueish mirage gradually materialized and solidified as his mind delved deeper into confusion and acceptance of this being.

Arriving at the book-case the figure of the woman turned to him, she was beautiful beyond compare. Tall and elegant with bright loving eyes behind frosted eyelashes that appeared like those of a woman matured into her mid to early forties. Yet if you looked deep enough there was an ageless wisdom in there, all contained on a face with a smooth and radiant complexion that would make a girl in her early twenties envious.

He stared gaping breathlessly at her as she smiled with more warmth and admiration than he had ever been shown before. Raising a hand delicately to his face she gently stroked the side of his face with the back of her hand making his eyes close briefly in peaceful content.

_Sephiroth, these humans, there not like us and you are not like them, you are not tainted as they are, you are so very special my son._

"What am I... mother?" using the word for the first time seemed extremely strange and alien to him, yet nice. "Am I a monster?"

_No!... no my dear child, you are perfect, a god destined to rule this planet. A destiny these inferior mortals have tried so desperately to steal from you_

"What must I do mother?"

_You must do what is kind and just, but first you must read, first you must discover the truth of who you are and the truth about this filthy human race_

"Mother, I don't like it when you talk like..."

 _Read! Sephiroth_ she snapped abruptly, indicating to a random worn and dust-covered book.

"Yes mother"

By the time Sephiroth had finished reading his already distasteful view on humanity sunk to even lower depths.

_Now you see the truth my son, now you see why they have kept us apart all these years, how they have made you suffer, how they lied to you just like Gast did_

An anger that had been simmering erupted into a blaze of hatred at the mention of professor Gast's name, he stood trembling on the spot, the book still clutched tightly on the last page in his hand. Jenova smiled a bright pearly white smile before embracing him close to her dainty body.

_Here, embrace me Sephiroth_

"I hate them mother... I hate them all" he fumed returning the hold, clutching her tightly.

"Sephiroth? who are you talking to?"

Looking up over Jenova's shoulder he saw Zack standing at the entrance of the library looking bewildered.

"Look mother, the traitors have come"

"Traitors!? mother? what are you talking about?", Zack took an extra step towards Sephiroth but quickly stopped in alarm when Sephiroth's body tensed and he shifted his stance into a defensive position.

"Seph!? it's Zack, your friend! I'm not gonna hurt you!"

"You would try" he growled.

"Right! that is it! I don't care what you say, you are taking a break and getting out of this damn library even if I have to drag you out"

"You would like that wouldn't you, for me to become like your kind, your race has taken a break for long enough"

"You're not making any sense!" Zack yelled in frustration.

"Then allow me to enlighten you traitor", Sephiroth held up the book in his hand, "mine and mothers people, the Cetra, were an ancient race who's duty it was to travel from planet to planet instilling it with life. Once we had fulfilled our migration, the promised land was our rightful reward for our long journey. However there were those, your ancestors and the ancestors of the human race who abandoned their duty, opting to lead simpler, easier lives. They quit their migration and took what rightfully belonged to the Cetra without giving back one whit in return!" Sephiroth cast the book at Zack in disgust who ducked in bewilderment.

"Cetra!? ancient race!? I don't understand, what has this got to do with you?" Zack frenzied.

"Don't you see, me and mother are the only Cetra who remain, you see a long time ago disaster struck this planet. It was saved by the Cetra sacrificing themselves while your ancestors ran away and hid, so your cowardly race was allowed to continue and multiply while the Cetra were wiped out from existence"

"Mother? you keep saying mother, you don't even know whether Jenova is really your mother, Hojo could have been lying"

_Don't listen to this worthless filth, you are my son and together we must take back what was stolen from us_

"Yes mother, what must I do"

"Seph there's no one there!"

_Kill the keeper of light and then come to me in the mountains, the guardian will surely follow and meet the same fate._

"Who are they?"

"Who are who!?"

_The guardian is the only one who the planet has created to stop us, he is the only one with the power to stop you, the blonde cadet you traveled here with._

"Strife!?"

"He's back at the inn, why? what's this got to do with Cloud?"

_Yes_

"You must be mistaken, he is beyond weak, he couldn't possibly stop me"

"Who are we talking about? are we still talking about Cloud?"

_I am not mistaken_

"Very well... and the keeper of light?"

"Huh? that what?"

_A person the guardian holds dear, I know not who they are, but they live in this village somewhere, most likely his mother but you must kill them all to take no chances._

"Why must I?"

"Seph! whatever voice it is that's speaking to you! ignore it and focus on talking to me!"

_Because the planet has safeguarded its only hope by placing the guardians light within another. If ever the guardian should fall into darkness they could be returned to stop us from taking what is rightfully ours. Now go, do what must be done._

Sephiroth hesitated.

_Do not take pity on these worthless creatures, their souls will be returned to the lifestream and purified when we cleanse this planet of its taint. You will be doing them a kindness._

"Yes mother... I understand now"

"Seph! where are you going!?"

Zack moved to stand in Sephiroth's way as he made to leave, slamming his palm into Zack's chest Sephiroth sent him flying across the library with an incredible amount of power, even for his level of mako enhancements. Zack hit the wall hard and smacked his head on the edge of a shelf knocking him unconscious. Drawing Masamune Sephiroth stood over his old friend, holding the blade down to Zack's crumpled form he lifted his chin with the flat of the weapon.

 _Kill him!_ Jenova hissed when something stilled his hand from going any further. As deep as his hatred ran for the human race he just couldn't bring himself to killing Zack. It was a weakness and he knew it, as did Jenova.

_You cannot afford to be weak!_

"He doesn't live here! he cannot be this so-called keeper of light so there is no need!" he yelled back.

 _KILL HIM!_ she screeched

"Listen here! you may be my mother" he spat angrily, "but don't you ever dare presume you can tell me what to do"

Jenova glowered furiously for a moment but eventually nodded her head in submission.

Sephiroth turned and marched out of the library with Masamune still drawn, his destination, Nibelheim village. He would do what must be done and rid this world of a race that had long treated him like an outcast, but he would not start with Zack Fair, he would start with Cloud Strife's mother.


	20. Final goodbye

**Chapter 20 Part 1- Final goodbye**

The fire three materia attached to Masamune made quick work of the town, spreading through the houses and streets, sending any of the treacherous wretches back to the lifestream that his sword didn't.

Running his blade through Cloud Strife's mother had been difficult, the women had screamed and pleaded for mercy, even cried for her boy. If it hadn't of been for mother giving him the strength he needed to fulfill his duty, Sephiroth didn't know if he could have gone through with it.

_You are not killing them my son, you are giving them new life_

_They will be reborn in the lifestream and they will thank you for it, they will worship you as a god_

After every kill it gradually got easier until it eventually even started to become satisfying. To end the pathetic lives of a race that were so clearly weak and inferior to him and mother as they ran begging in fright. To think that their people had been sacrificed so a species like this could continue to exist seemed far more perverse than cutting down an elderly woman or a young helpless child screaming for its parents amidst the burning buildings.

By the time he had sliced, hacked and watched every villager in this backwards town filled with backwards nobodies burn, Sephiroth could feel he was no longer the same person he was when he first arrived at this place. The change brought a dark feeling of joy to him, he had transcended frivolous qualities such as compassion and mercy, qualities that had for years chained him and made him weak. Now he was complete, reunited with mother and for the first time in his life his purpose and duty in life was clear, to lead this planet and these corrupt souls to a new age of glory. Sephiroth had always known being commander to the army of a greed ridden tyrannical corporation was never his true calling and he had always felt so lost, even when he made it all the way to the top. Now with mother beside him and his birth given Cetra duty clear to him, he was found.

Standing amidst the blazes he revelled in the power and sense of achievement he felt.

_Well done my son, I am so very proud of you, the guardian now approaches, lead him to me my child_

"Let me kill him now mother"

_No, we must not underestimate the planet, together we are strongest, come to me_

"Very well"

"SEPHIROTH!"

He grinned, turning to the voice of Cloud Strife filled with pure rage, hatred and pain, mother was so very smart.

"SEPHIROTH! I TRUSTED YOU!... I TRUSTED YOU!"

He eyed Cloud through the flames with a delighted smirk, amused that this pitiful boy was supposedly the best the planet could put in his way. Turning he walked away, he would humour mothers excessive concern about the cadet and unite with her back at the reactor in the mountains before killing him. Once he had left through the burning fires he stared out into the pitch-black mountains, the thought that the cadet would even have the strength to make it to the reactor was in itself laughable. Breathing in the cool night air he watched as mothers form faded off into moonlit darkness, urging him to follow. Extending one long sleek black wing from his back in a plume of feathers Sephiroth took off into the sky.

* * *

**Chapter 20 Part 2- Final goodbye**

By the time Zack came too he had lost quite a lot of blood from the back of his head, he'd most likely fractured his skull but thanks to the joys of mako he had healed enough to climb faintly to his feet.

Sephiroth had lost his mind, this place, this library, the reactor, it had pushed him to a moment of insanity, but Zack would put a stop to it. He was going to get Sephiroth and the rest of the squad and they were all getting the hell out of this cursed place. Once they were back at base he was going to give Sephiroth a piece of his mind about knocking him out cold, as well as ringing Hojo's neck and exposing him for what he had done to those SOLDIERS.

Stumbling on unstable legs out of the library and through the creepy underground tunnels that lead to the spiral staircase, his attention was drawn to the sound of movement. A door he had not noticed before sat concealed in darkness in one side of the cold cavernous walls. He tried the door but it was locked, there had definitely been movement on the other side, but how when the lock was on the outside?

"Anyone in there?" he mumbled, feeling dizzy.

Listening intently for any sign of life he eventually gave up when no more noise was made, he didn't have time to waste.

Dragging his feet up the twisting wooden stairwell he smelled the burning town before he heard it cracking. Breaking into an attempted run that only served to slow him down further, he tumbled dizzyingly into furniture and slid along the walls, trying to remain upright.

Clambering out of the mansion he looked around frantically and realized the blow to his head must have killed him, because he had truly just stepped into hell. The sky was ablaze with fire, bodies littered the floor and the smell of burning flesh attacked him in a hazy blur as if his mind had detached itself from his body and he was observing from a distant reality. This was not his reality, this couldn't be his reality, he was watching the work of some twisted director who had taken a horror movie one step too far. This wasn't Sephiroth's doing, Sephiroth would not do this, no, Sephiroth could not have done this. Zack had already lost both Angeal and Genesis to madness and Sephiroth being next would be the thing that finally broke him.

"TIFA!... TIFA WHERE ARE YOU!?"

A gruff voice followed by a stocky built man was the only sign of life that darted into the square.

"... what happened?" Zack croaked barely above a whisper, too disoriented to use his voice. The man didn't hear. Shaking his head he tried again, he needed to get his act together, perhaps this was some strange and pointless attack from Wutai.

"What happened here!?"

The man heard him this time and turned breathlessly towards him. A look of rage spread itself across the mans face as he shifted into a threateningly aggressive fighting stance.

"Woah easy pal! I just wanna know what happened"

"You know damn well what happened you son of a bitch!"

"Just tell me!" Zack cried in desperation, flinching as a nearby smoldering building collapsed in, showering him fiercely with heat and embers.

"That commander of yours went berserk!" he bellowed back wheezily, struggling to breathe in the thick suffocating ash and smoke in the air. "I knew that thing was no good the moment it showed up!"

He had done it... Sephiroth had really done it. Zack collapsed onto his knees comatose, surrounded by the furious inferno that scorched away his remaining hope for his friend. How had he let this happen? why didn't he stop this? why didn't he get Sephiroth out of that damn library sooner?

"Hey, it seems you haven't lost your mind as well after all, get up and help me. There's a girl, Tifa, help me find her"

"...Tifa... Cloud! where's Cloud!?"

"Cloud? Cloud Strife? that boy who left for SOLDIER years ago is here?... I didn't even know he was back, I have no idea. I only managed to get Tifa, I'm her instructor, names Zangan... she took off, most likely into the mountains. Please! help me look for her! she's like a daughter to me!"

Zack looked out through the flames into the mountainous expanse beyond the rocky pass, perhaps she took Cloud with her. Making for the hills Zangan yelled words that were incomprehensible above the roar of the flames, Zack didn't have time to wait for him. Zack would travel the mountains in search of Cloud and the girl and if he didn't find them then he knew where he would find someone. At the cursed reactor whose secrets had started all of this, he would finish it.

* * *

**Chapter 20 Part 3- Final goodbye**

"Zack... that's enough, you don't need to go on any further"

Tears were gently pouring from Tifa's wide, chocolate, pain filled eyes as the rest of the group sat stunned in their same places, though Rufus had ceased staring absently out of the window. Zack was shaking almost as badly as Tifa was, the telling of the story had made the recollection so vivid as memories and details that had up until this point been forgotten came back to him.

"I have to finish Teef" he whispered meeting her eye as they shared in a moment of turmoil with one another.

She barely nodded, letting out a long shuddering sigh, trying to calm herself and failing miserably.

"I just... I can't believe Cloud was there the whole time... why didn't he say anything?"

"God he wanted to Teef, I think he was just ashamed of returning home after failing to get into SOLDIER. I don't think he wanted you to see he hadn't made it in"

"I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THAT!" Tifa screamed at the top of her lungs, the dam finally bursting. "I NEVER CARED ABOUT THAT!... I just wanted him... I just wanted Cloud"

Tifa had held back these pent-up feelings of being lost, empty and forever searching for something that was missing in her life for so long she couldn't take it anymore. Feelings that Zack's presence occasionally alleviated but never fully cured, feelings that she knew deep down were because Cloud was gone and she yearned for him.

Tifa knew the grief of losing someone you love, she had lost her mother, her father, she had lost friends, yet none of their deaths had left this never ending void of longing like Cloud's had. But why did it? why did his death cut her deeper than even her parents had? Though their deaths still hurt, time had healed some of the pain of their passing, but with Cloud's it forever felt like a fresh wound that she would never recover from. It was as if she and Cloud were somehow connected beyond childhood sweethearts, beyond what could be considered normal for the level of interaction that had passed between them. Now that connection was severed she felt broken and scarred even worse than the physical one etched across her chest. She felt... incomplete.

"Hold up a sec" Barret interjected as Zack was about to continue, "ya' mean ta' tell me Jenova, that headless spook we found in Shinra is this Sephiroth pricks mother?"

"That's what Sephiroth believes and by the looks of it, it seems so" Zack replied.

"Tha's messed up..." Barret muttered blankly watching Tifa tremble. It was unbearable to watch her hurting so badly, Tifa and Jessie were both like Marlene's to him. Unable to stand it any longer he stood up and went over to her, enveloping Tifa in a protective hug as she clung to his broad shoulders like a life-preserver.

"I'm gonna get this son of a bitch baby-girl, I'm gonna put a shell right between his fuckin' eyes for what he did" he spoke into the crown of her head so only she would hear. Barret could often be so caring and gentle in his own unique gruff kind of way and Tifa wouldn't change it for the world.

"Zack..." Aerith's voice tentatively spoke up, "you said that Sephiroth mentioned something about a 'keeper of light', those were the exact same words that the planet used. What else did he say?"

Zack thought hard about that moment back in the library as he massaged his head and pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut, the beginnings of a migraine were kicking in. Next thing he knew a gentle hand was grasping his bicep and Aerith was right in front of him looking worried.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that, take a break", she tip toed to place a light kiss against his forehead. A cool sensation radiated from the point of contact, spreading through his head like an instant river of liquid pain-killers.

"Aerith... how?" he breathed in awe, she had used magic without the use of materia. She smiled to him with bright crystal green eyes, it wasn't the first time she had inadvertently used elements of her Cetra powers unknowingly.

"I feel better, I want to finish this. Yes, Sephiroth definitely spoke about some 'keeper of light', but I can't remember in what context he used it. Sephiroth wasn't making any sense at the time, I thought it was just a load of crazy rambling but now I realize I was just listening to half of a conversation, he was talking to someone else.. Jenova. She twisted his mind for days, manipulated him, made him hate everyone and everything. It's not just Sephiroth we need to worry about, Jenova is possibly by far the greater threat, it is her agenda that she is pulling Sephiroth's strings towards"

Everyone nodded grimly, including Rufus Shinra and for a moment Zack saw a glimpse of hope that perhaps they had broken through to him.

"There's something that doesn't make sense..." Kunsel began still leaning with arms folded against the door.

"There's loads of things that don't make sense" Cissnei added deep in thought.

"You can say that again.." Jessie agreed.

"Yeah, but in particular, why is it that neither me nor Zack can sense Jenova like Sephiroth can?" Kunsel continued. "We all share an emphatic bond connected by S-cells, and we both sensed when Sephiroth was in the Shinra building but we didn't sense Jenova and neither did Zack back at Nibelheim"

"Perhaps Jenova is capable of choosing and manipulating the connection"

Everyone turned in surprise at Rufus Shinra's contribution.

"She is after all what you might call queen of the hive" Rufus shrugged. "Which makes both of you liabilities. Either of you ever hear voices in your head?"

Kunsel shook his head, they all turned to Zack.

"No" he lied, dismissing the one that often spoke to him at night. That couldn't be Jenova, the voice never spoke anything about world domination or genocide. Although perhaps Jenova was just a bit more subtle than that. Still, it asked about things like what his relationship was with Tifa and spoke about separating himself from Aerith. Why would something like Jenova be interested in either of those things?

"I suggest we continue with the rest of the story before we begin speculating possibilities" Red pointed out wisely.

Nodding in agreement, Zack continued.

"So I went searching for Cloud and Tifa in the mountains as I made for the reactor..."

Tifa placed a hand on Zack's arm that Aerith wasn't caressing for support, telling him she would take this part over for a while.

"I took off into the mountains after my dad, he gave me to master Zangan and told him to look after me... I saw him take his gun... I knew he was going after Sephiroth.."

* * *

**Chapter 20 Part 4- Final goodbye**

"Take Tifa! you take her and you keep her safe, you hear me Zangan!?" her father demanded loudly above the burning roar of the town.

"Dad please! please, please, please don't go!" Tifa begged hysterically refusing to let go of his sleeve as he tried to escape the blazing inferno in the direction of the mountains.

"Paul! don't do this, it's suicide" Zangan warned.

"He can't get away with this..." the man replied, loading the barrel of a powerful magnum hand gun. "You take care of her, you promise me"

Zangan nodded as his friend clutched his shoulder tightly, searching his face intensely for a vow he would never break.

"I will. I promise"

"Dad no! please dad!"

Paul pried his daughters hand of his arm, smiling as it took a fair amount of effort, his beautiful little girl had grown so strong. No doubt she would rebuke him if she ever found out he had just thought of her as little, she was always in such a rush to grow up. And she was, his fifteen year old girl was becoming a woman now, but to him she would always be that tiny little child he'd had no clue what to do with when his darling wife passed away. Their was nothing more in this world he wanted than to lead Tifa into womanhood and a part of him knew that this was suicide... but there were certain crimes a person could not be allowed to get away with. Even if he managed just to get one shot in.

"I love you Tiffy, never forget that. I'm so proud of you"

Holding the hand he had pried of his arm for just a moment longer he turned and walked away to the sound of her desperate pleading.

"Come on Tifa, let's go" Zangan insisted, pulling her by the waist with one huge arm as she struggled furiously.

"We can help him! the three of us! please master Zangan! please!"

Watching her father walking away as her instructor dragged her in the opposite direction out of the blazing town was one of the worse moments of Tifa's life.

Master Zangan pulled her all the way out of the smoldering ruin that was now Nibelheim. Composing her mind Tifa observed the large hand grasping her wrist firmly to stop her escaping, she needed to escape, she needed to help her father. Whispering a silent apology to her master she used the technique that he had taught her in escaping grapples. She applied pressure in one direction towards the palm of his hand before quickly chopping it with all the force and speed she could muster in the other direction at the weak point where finger met thumb. The grapple broke, while her master would normally be pleased with the successful maneuver he was now taken by surprise. Knowing she needed time to escape Tifa dropped into a low leg sweep as her master made to turn. They had only practiced the move twice in training but luckily she was just about able to take his feet out from under him. He crashed onto his back, giving her the time she needed to get away.

Moving as fast as her growing legs would take her she ran back through the burning town and up the slope that lead into the mountains after her father. As she shot past the Shinra mansion heart thundering in her chest she caught a brief glimpse at the gate of one of the SOLDIER men stumbling what looked to be drunkenly out of the front door.

The trek through the mountains was no easy feat during the day, let alone at night when it was simply perilous. Navigating the rocky expanse that had become her second home it took her twice as long to make ground. Running and hiding from monsters had been the main cause for the slow progress, but so to were the occasional near death slips she'd had as loose rock formations hidden in the dark gave way beneath her.

By the time she arrived at the reactor her bare legs were cut to ribbons. She had quite expected that she would catch her father up, perhaps she wasn't the best mountain guide in the town after all. Adrenaline pumping she ran up the stairs leading into the reactor praying beyond hope she would see her father standing over a silver-haired corpse on the floor.

Traversing through the toxic environment Tifa felt ill and it wasn't because of the fumes. Heart pounding in fear she balanced across the walkway above the pit of mako. At this point in Tifa's teenage life she had very little innocence and naivety left, what remained died in that moment at the sight of her father laying in a pool of his own blood.

Screaming she ran to him, throwing herself to her knee's beside him, scrapping the skin painfully away. Tifa ran her trembling hands frantically over the front of his soaked shirt, searching for the source of the bleeding. Coating her hands in her father's blood she found the point that he had been run through with by the Masamune which now lay bloodied on the floor a few feet away.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no"

She covered the front of her fathers shirt with tears as she pressed hard against the open injury even though she knew he was already dead.

"TIFA!"

Through water-logged eyes she saw the black-haired SOLDIER whose name she vaguely recalled as Zack climbing down to the walkway. Looking around urgently with rage she saw her fathers empty gun besides the Masamune and a trail of unnaturally red blood leading through an open chamber door. Her father must have landed a shot, now she would finish the job.

"... Sephiroth... SOLDIER... mako reactors... I HATE THEM ALL!"

Grabbing the incredibly heavy sword she ran away from Zack into the room to see the monster at the top of a set of stairs with his arms raised as if in prayer towards a door labelled 'Jenova'.

White with anger she screamed a thousand curses in her mind as she ascended the steps, barely able to drag the sword up with her. She would drive the bastard through with his own sword while his back was turned. Her body burning with exertion she made the climb, using what little strength she had left she strained to lift the sword so hard she could cry. Clumsily getting it high enough she swung the blade clunkily towards the point between his neck and shoulder.

An iron grip lashed out and crushed both her wrists so tight she cried out in pain. He hadn't even turned his gaze away from the door for a second.

"Die you bastard!" she cried desperately, trying to grapple her hands and the weapon back out of his hold.

Turning his head slowly, Sephiroth scorched her with his evil cat green eyes, a look of boredom and irritation across his face.

"Your species truly are a stupid bunch" he muttered unamused.

Tifa struggled furiously, she even tried to land a kick against his knee cap the way master Zangan had taught her.

"You're boring me now" the monster scoffed and with a flick of his wrist Tifa was shoved off towards the top of the stairs. Stumbling backwards he created a big enough distance between the two of them to swing the reclaimed seven-foot blade in her direction. A searing pain erupted across Tifa's chest as the blade bit her diagonally from the top of her breast to her abdomen. The next few seconds flashed by like cut scenes, her falling weightlessly backwards through the air, Sephiroth entering the chamber door, her back crashing against the iron steps as she bounced roughly in decent, the air being punched from her lungs, her name being called out... darkness.

Lifting Tifa's limp body into his arms, Zack carried the profusely bleeding girl and propped her against one of the oval tanks.

_I'm so sorry_

Despite knowing what Sephiroth had done to the people of the village Zack had still planned on talking to him, to try and understand, but actually seeing him cut an innocent girl down in cold blood with his own eyes killed any hope of reasoning with his friend. Sephiroth was now forever lost.

Drawing the buster sword with eyes ablaze he sighed with more sorrow than he believed possible as he ascended the stairs. This was the third time he was forced to draw his sword on a friend consumed by darkness, at what point did it stop becoming a coincidence and he became somehow responsible?

"Mother... at last we are reunited"

Sephiroth was stood in front of what appeared to be the figure of a mechanical angel. "I have thought of a wonderful idea... let's go to the promised land"

"SEPHIROTH!" Zack bellowed stepping into the room to draw his attention, he would fight the man, but he wasn't going to kill him with his back turned. Sephiroth would face him for what he had done.

"Leave", Sephiroth ordered coldly, Zack didn't move. "I gave you a chance once Zack, I won't do so again..."

"How could you do this!? how could kill all these innocent people!?"

"Go home pup..." Sephiroth warned one last time.

"ANSWER ME!"

Holding Masamune out at arm's length Sephiroth turned towards Zack, the weapon pointed towards him.

"Not even lemmings are this dumb" Sephiroth growled, "so this is how you choose it to be"

"I choose nothing Sephiroth! you leave me no other choice!"

Sephiroth smirked, shifting the deadly blade into a position ready to strike.

"Very well then, let us see if in all our years training together you have actually learned anything... don't disappoint me Zack"

Zack took in a short breath and braced his core in preparation for the opening strike. It came fast and it came heavy as expected, he knew Sephiroth's fighting style just as well as Sephiroth knew his. Sephiroth always liked to throw his enemies off from the first blow. Despite being ready for it, the shock of the strike against the buster sword still burned through his hands and jarred his arms painfully. Darting towards him before he could recover Sephiroth struck the buster sword with an underhand swing to send Zack traveling high into the air and onto a large open platform above. A more advantageous area to fight him in. The tight confines of the chamber would give Sephiroth little room to maneuver the Masamune and he wouldn't want to risk harming his precious mother.

Zack grit his teeth at losing the positional advantage as the sound of a large beating wing Zack had only seen on a few occasions had Sephiroth join him on the second level.

"Stay focused. Now let us begin" Sephiroth announced like he always did before a practice session in training while he glided slowly to the ground.

Charging one another their swords clashed in quick succession as both party's cast haste on themselves and settled into a series of light but super fast attacks. Sephiroth was testing his speed and footwork, they had often trained this skill with Zack finally getting up to around 160 strikes per minute, which was now struggling to keep pace with Sephiroth's record 220. Sephiroth's superior speed gradually started to overpower him, until eventually he could no longer keep up, timing it right Zack disengaged with a floor roll to break away from the fight.

Sephiroth chuckled, breath only faintly quickened while Zack panted heavily.

"Very good Zachary, though what do I tell you about holding your breath?"

They circled one another weapons raised, glowing green on luminous blue. Zack needed to dictate the flow of the next attack. Using the buster sword to its greatest advantage over Masamune he opted for slow but heavy attacks. Sephiroth's defense didn't waver. Glancing and deflecting the force of every blow instead of meeting it square on as he needed Sephiroth to, he soon lost his advantage again. After minutes of Zack's attempted relentless assault the inevitable error eventually came when he took a split second too long to bring the buster sword back around. Punishing him for the opening the hilt of Masamune followed by an iron fist crashed into Zack's face knocking him off his feet backwards. Letting the force and momentum flip him over completely Zack landed skidding on his feet.

"So predictable" Sephiroth scoffed as Zack wiped at the trail of blood trickling from the side of his mouth with the back of his gloved hand. "You always were such an open book"

"You really aren't the Sephiroth I knew anymore" Zack sneered back, "the Sephiroth I knew didn't like to waste his breath on speeches... NOW PREDICT THIS!"

Sephiroth was prepared for any possible physical attack Zack could throw at him and Zack knew it, but Sephiorth would never anticipate him using magic as it was usually his least preferred method of getting the job done. Unleashing a bolt three attack he caught Sephiroth off guard and the attack ate into his shoulder, burning a hole through his black leather coat. Biting down the agony Sephiorth growled and his eyes glowed even brighter with sickening rage.

"So you want to use magic do?" Sephiroth hissed. "this'll be fun"

Materia's glowed, fire was exchanged with ice, with water, with quake, with demi, spell after spell as barriers were shattered and damage was inflicted upon both opponents. With mana draining faster than Sephiroth's, Zack was quickly running out of time and options. Somehow Sephiroth seemed even more powerful than usual, it had to be because of Jenova. If he was going to lose this fight then he would take that parasite that had poisoned his friends mind with him. With one last effort he cast off a blizzard three spell to gain time and dove uncaring off the high platform. Crashing into Jenova's chamber he cut through the metal angel that he believed housed the creature but to his despair as the machine crumpled under his strike, Zack saw that the real body of Jenova was concealed in a mako tank further behind the statue.

Losing his opportunity the second swing at the real container was pointless, Sephiroth arrived and slashed the attack away and then slashed him across the face, cutting a deep gash in his cheek, crossing over the one that Angeal had given him. Then more cuts followed.

"DON'T... YOU... HURT... MOTHER!" Sephiroth bellowed in panic, slicing at Zack between every word.

One final blow and Zack's broken, lacerated body was sent careening out of Jenova's chamber and down the stairwell after Tifa.

Turning to mother in breathless relief Sephiroth laid his eyes on her physical form for the first time and was instantly entranced by her sleeping beauty. She was more beautiful in the flesh than even the mirage had been, she was perfect, she was his mother, she loved him and together they would return to the promised land and rule over this planet. He remained transfixed on her for many minutes, hands pressed against the glass, feeling the tranquil unity of mother and son.

Then there was pain, a dizzying explosion of agony in his side causing his fingers to flex and the glass to crack. How was this possible? no one could ever hope to sneak up on him like this.

The size of the blade imbedded in his body made it pure torture to turn to face his attacker. Gulping for oxygen Sephiroth met with the young face of Cloud Strife contorted in anger, clenching his teeth in fury that was beyond words as he gripped the buster sword with shaking hands. Unable to turn as the cadet twisted the blade, Sephiroth did the only thing he could, extending his wing as forcefully as possible he threw Cloud off and the buster sword was ripped mercilessly from his side causing him to collapse to his knees.

Believing Sephiroth finished Cloud climbed to his feet and ran back out the room urgently to Tifa, stopping briefly to check on Zack, he was in bad shape but he was still breathing. Tifa on the other hand was barely managing the task and had turned ghostly white from the loss of blood that pooled in her lap and down her legs. Seeing her this way was agony for Cloud, the thought of her dying here on this floor was too hard to bear, he would lose everything he lived for in a heartbeat if he lost her as well as his mom. Cradling her body close he held Tifa in his arms, something he had wanted to do for so long but never under these circumstances. The movement stirred her as she drifted briefly into consciousness.

"... Cloud... you came for me... when I was in trouble... you came"

She gazed up at him with so much love and affection, as if he was her hero, it was something he had always wanted to be. It was one of the reasons he had wanted to join SOLDIER in the first place.

"I made a promise didn't I?"

"... you remembered" she smiled softly caressing an alarmingly cold hand across the side of his face. "... I've missed you"

"I'm here now, and I'm never leaving again... Tifa I..." she lost consciousness again. "... love you".

The sound of heavy boots staggering clunkily on metal flooring made Cloud look up to see Sephiroth stumbling out of Jenova's chamber with her head tucked beneath his arm. It was impossible for him to still be walking after the wound Cloud had given him.

"... did you... really think... a mere human like you... could kill me?" Sephiroth heaved venomously.

"... finish him Cloud... kill Sephiroth" Zack choked sprawled bloody across the stairwell.

Cloud nodded, taking up the buster sword once more.

"SEPHIROTH!" he cried, charging up the stairs with more speed than he was possibly capable of with the heavy weapon.

Leaping in the air to gain height, he swung at Sephiroth with all the force he could in a downward strike, their blades crashed and locked in a battle of strength in which Sephiroth was taken by surprise. Breaking the lock with a twist of his body Sephiroth hurled Cloud explosively through the door of Jenova's chamber.

The heavy impact rattled Cloud's body violently, he tried to push himself up off the floor but his arms gave out from under him.

"... I told you boy... never fight an opponent... without first knowing you and its capabilities"

Sephiroth towered over him panting for air, raising the Masamune in a pointed strike. With a stab of the blade Masamune was thrust right through the center of Cloud's stomach. With a howl of pain he was lifted off the floor and hung over a precipice above the pit of mako, impaled on the end of Sephiroth's sword.

"... know your weakness" Sephiroth snarled when Cloud still showed resistance.

"My town... my mom... my friends... my Tifa... how dare you"

Whatever unfathomable amount of pain Cloud felt, it was a mere fraction in comparison to the pure hatred coursing through his veins. Clutching the Masamune and slicing into his fingers, Cloud wrenched the blade deeper through his gut, dragging himself along the blade towards Sephiroth. Sweat rivered down his face and every muscle in Cloud's body screamed close to exploding point as a swirl of rage, adrenaline, hateful determination and a power that had laid dormant within him surfaced. Feet reaching solid ground Cloud reared the hilt of Masamune skywards, twisting agonizingly in his stomach and fighting against Sephiroth's strength clinging to the handle. With a scream of effort he overpowered Sephrioth's grip and lifted him high off the ground.

"This... is impossible..." Sephiroth gasped suspended in mid-air by his own weapon, wide-eyed in disbelief. "... what are you?"

With one final effort Cloud threw Sephiroth's body with every ounce of energy he had left over the edge of the mako void. The one winged angel crashed against a power line in an explosion of sparks and both he and Jenova were sent tumbling into the green acidy depths below.

Removing the Masamune from his stomach was like pulling a cork off a bottle that released what remained of Cloud's strength. Stumbling from the chamber he couldn't even muster the energy to make the first step. His legs buckled beneath him and Cloud tumbled limply down the iron steps face first, landing beside Zack utterly spent.

".. it's done" Cloud heaved with jagged breath.

With a final effort before they both fell into darkness, Zack reached out a hand to lay it against the back of Clouds head.

"... you did good buddy... you did good"


	21. Total surrender

* * *

**Chapter 21 Part 1- Total surrender**

"So what do you make of the whole Cloud finishing off Sephiroth part of the story?" Cissnei asked keeping her focus on the drink in her hand as her thumb traced around the brim anxiously. She was quickly finding that Kunsel's insight on things was becoming rather invaluable to her, as between them they seemed to connect any of the remaining dots that the other didn't. At least that was the reason she was going with for their little get together at a local bar in the town.

Kunsel sighed, while the entire group had discussed and come to an agreement on many points, the biggest mystery of them all remained how an unenhanced Cloud Strife could possibly have defeated Sephiroth.

"So he see's Zack and Tifa both with the ten bells kicked out of them, close to deaths door, goes in after Sephiroth and somehow comes back out saying he's finished it. It just doesn't make any sense. And why didn't Sephiroth just kill Cloud back at the town, he killed the rest of his squad... well apart from Zack. But Sephiroth wasn't close with Cloud like he was Zack, so why let him live?"

"Sephiroth must have seen something in him, or some reason to keep him alive" Cissnei frowned, it even sounded stupid.

"A kid who could hardly lift a basic sword?"

"Yeah yeah... I know. I think we're gonna have to let that particular mystery slide for now until we get something else to go on"

"Agreed" Kunsel nodded, eyes scanning over the crowded noisy bar as he took a swig of his drink. It was close to midnight and surprisingly not as empty as one would imagine for a town like Kalm. Looking around was not a good idea for someone like Kunsel as before long Cissnei was wincing to the sound of a female shouting his name in delight.

"KUNSEL!"

"No way is that little Natasha!" Kunsel roared over eagerly, standing up with a smile that didn't seem entirely genuine. A tall pretty blonde girl squealed in delight that he remembered her name.

Cissnei watched in irritation as they engaged in conversation, irritation which gradually turned to annoyance and then to feeling awfully tempted just to stand up and storm out of the building.

"What are you doing in Kalm? you're a Junon girl Tash"

 _Tash now is it_ Cissnei scolded in her head, eyeing the woman distastefully.

"I was moving to Midgar, I stopped off here on the way over and I just fell in love with this place" Natasha giggled a stupidly ridiculous giggle.

Cissnei's pace of drinking had almost doubled and when she wasn't either mocking the annoyingly beautiful girl or scorching the back of Kunsel's head with her stare, she was gulping down spirit.

Their conversation continued on for many minutes and Cissnei kept drinking, beginning to regret that she hadn't brought Rekka with her and battling with the decision on whether or not to leave.

"I bet you still have all the girls chasing you?"

Cissnei's grip tightened around the shot glass in her hand, flicking her gaze at the happy couple in what was close to fury. Cissnei fumed when she saw that precious little Natasha had "absently" laid a hand on Kunsel's arm. It was amazing that the glass in her hand hadn't shattered yet as her hand clamped to it like a vice.

Kunsel didn't answer right away and for a second his eyes drifted to Cissnei as if to check her reaction. It knocked Cissnei off-balance that he would look at her and her head whirred, trying to analyze the action and probably reading too much into it.

"Oh I'm sorry" Natasha grinned with sickly sweetness, noticing Kunsel's eye contact "is this your girlfriend?"

Cissnei was thankful the current drink in her hand had only made it up half way to her lips or else she might have choked on the liquid.

"This is Cissnei, I'd best describe her as my fellow accomplice in all things sneaky and mysterious"

Kunsel tried to light-heartedly grin at her but Cissnei's expression quickly wiped it from his face.

"Errr, we're kind of in the middle of something here Tash, can we catch up some other time perhaps?"

"Haven't you caught up enough?" Cissnei growled under breath so no one else could hear.

"I'd love to, nice to meet you Cissnei" the girl chirped with a wave before sauntering away in her pretty little dress which Cissnei was struggling to find anything wrong with. She wanted to think slut but the blasted thing went all the way down to the girls knees.

"Sorry about that" Kunsel smiled sheepishly sitting back down.

Cissnei heaved a sigh, allowing her pent-up anger to escape, she was acting like a silly jealous teenage girl.

"So, getting back to point, what else did you pick up on from Zack's story?" Cissnei asked, easing of the drink as she was beginning to feel slightly light-headed.

"Did you clock the part about the noise in the Shinra basement?" he replied.

It was starting to get very noisy in the bar and they were having to lean into one another to hear themselves above the crowd. The close proximity to Kunsel was beginning to make Cissnei feel disoriented and instead of formulating a response to his question her brain was now focused on how good he smelled and how nice his breath was feeling against her cheek and ear.

"Cissnei?"

"... yeah! sorry, I was just thinking. The sound in the basement, I picked up on that as well. Do you think it could be?"

"Another victim of Hojo's experiments?"

"That's what I thought. Zack doesn't know there were others besides him and Cloud who were experimented on in that mansion, we know Felicia was one of them, who knows how many others there were"

"You think it's worth a trip over there?" Kunsel questioned.

The feeling of his warm breath tainted with alcohol on her skin was becoming intoxicating, making her stumble over her words.

"...I think... I think the Shinra mansion holds... it holds answers to a lot of our questions..." her breathing hitched as Kunsel shifted in his seat, leaning in closer to try and hear her voice as it was slowly losing strength. Though surely his mako enhanced hearing could hear a pin drop in snow storm? As he moved the sensation of his leg coming into contact with hers beneath the table made her jump and then her head spin, did he know he was touching her? was he doing it on purpose?

Swallowing hard she tried to continue but she was all but lost by this point. "...what was I saying?"

"Going to check out the Shinra mansion in Nibelheim" he chuckled.

"Right... once we... get rid of Rufus, I mean... once we decide what to do with him... it could be worth a..."

Her voice gave up on her entirely as she squeezed her eyes shut, suddenly trembling with nerves and trying desperately to compose herself.

"Cissnei... you alright?"

Just the way her name fell of his lips in his precisely articulate, yet slightly rugged voice was making her feel weak at the knees. Whether it was a combination of the alcohol, the close proximity between them, the contact of his leg or his voice, he was making her lose control even more than he usually did. Cissnei had never been so strongly effected like this by anyone before, she was a Turk, an assassin, a cold-blooded killer, she didn't get petty crushes like this. Getting into relationships had never been an interest of hers, she was damaged goods that no one would accept if they knew the truth about her.

"...Cissnei?" he breathed once again resting a concerned hand against her arm making her shake even more. It was no use trying to hide anymore, not that she was capable of it even if she wanted to. Opening her eyes she stared helplessly into his, begging for him to both understand and never know at the same time.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?", he seemed slightly shocked as he confidently but tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek.

"...Kunsel... please" Cissnei whimpered feeling so helplessly exposed but incapable of hiding herself back up. He just stared at her in gentle confusion with those gorgeous eyes that always felt as if they could see into her soul. He waited patiently, the hand still holding her cheek shifted to tuck a strand of fallen flaming orange hair behind her ear, an action so simple and yet incredibly affectionate that it pushed her deeper into the quicksand. Cissnei tried to turn her face away feeling overwhelmed but his hand softly prevented her from doing so, forcing her eyes to stay locked to his that were now a scarce few centimeters away from hers.

"Talk to me, let me in" he urged barely above a whisper sending a shiver tingling down her spine. Trapped in the moment, his hair, his eyes, his hands, his leg, his voice, everything about him destroyed whatever barriers she had left. Completing the distance between them the last of her power to resist him crumbled and she pressed her lips unsurely against his. There was a too and fro exchange of passion as she kissed him and he recoiled slightly in surprise triggering Cissnei's brain to go into panic that he was pulling away and she had completely misread the signals. She pulled away also but just as his senses caught up with him and he began to return the kiss but it was too late, she had withdrawn frightened and everything now screamed for her to run. Standing up sharply she sent her chair toppling backwards with a crash making her even more flushed and shaken. She ran from the table to leave as Kunsel tried to pull her back.

Dashing out of the building and into the dark empty streets of Kalm she continued to run unthinkingly, just wanting to escape this feeling of embarrassment and vulnerability. Cissnei made it two streets before a hand pulled her back to a stop.

"... Kunsel... just let me go... that was a mistake" she sniffed tearfully, her breath fogging in the air as the temperature had dropped rapidly at night.

"No it wasn't" he urged, gently tugging her hand to try to make her turn and face him. "you just took me by surprise is all"

"... surprise?... surprise?... surely you can tell what you do to me" Cissnei choked keeping her head to the ground, there was no point in trying to hide it anymore.

Recognizing that she wasn't going to turn he circled around to stand directly in front of her, trying to meet her eye.

"Yeah I do, I make you feel the same way as you make me"

Her breathing caught in the air and she looked up to gaze at him in surprise, the instant she raised her face Cissnei was greeted with the firm contact of his mouth upon hers. Her heart skipped a dangerous number of beats as he caught her lower lip between both of his while the tips of his fingers traced along either side of her neck. Cissnei's hands of their own accord traveled around his waist as for a delightful moment the alarms in her head kept quiet for once and allowed her to arch up to him in surrender as he was much taller than she was. The alarms silence however did not last indefinitely and before long she was pulling away again in fearful retreat, the cold air chilling the delicious moisture on her lips that screamed for his warmth again.

"... I can't... Kunsel I can't" she insisted despairingly, pressing a hand to her mouth to deny them any further contact.

"Why not?" he urged, grasping lightly at the material of the shirt around her toned abdomen, trying to deny her withdrawal.

"Because... I'm a bad person, if you knew the things I've done... if you could see the real me... the lives I've ruined... the people I've hurt...", Cissnei's voice trailed of at the end in a high-pitched sob.

"There's nothing you've done that I haven't done also or worse"

There was a part of her that wanted to believe that so badly and another part that didn't.

"... I doubt it" she forced through clenched teeth, trying to bite down the tears. Taking his hands which were against her hips and abdomen, trying to keep her close, she pushed them away.

"No.. trust me Cissnei, I have" he insisted so surely.

"I know I've done something far worse than anything you might have done" Cissnei sobbed as she walked away with her arms hugged across herself.

"You mean like being responsible for the death of your family?" he called after her making her freeze with a sharp intake of breath. Time stood still for many minutes as her breathing hyperventilated, billowing fog into the air and freezing her chest.

"...how?" she eventually squeaked turning around wide-eyed and stunned. How could he possibly know?

He approached her slowly, watching her reaction and looking so intense and serious, a look that she would never have guessed his care free nature capable of.

"I know Rekka... I know everything"

She made a sound that was somewhere between a gasp of shock and a howl of pain that he had called her by her real name. She stood speechless, moving her mouth but failing to form words, this couldn't be happening, he couldn't possibly know her real name, a name she had kept so close and yet so hidden at the same time. It felt like someone was holding her head under water and she couldn't breath as a surge of emotion crushed her lungs.

He just watched intently, eyes burning brightly in the darkness of the empty narrow street that was one size away from be an alleyway. Caught on his bad side, Cissnei could imagine those eyes were terrifying, but now they were warm and enticing beacons of light that she wanted to drown herself in. Kunsel took a delicate step forward but stopped when she responded with a quick recoiling step in the opposite direction.

"It wasn't your fault Rekka"

His words were so painful to listen to, on some level it felt like he was trying to force entry into a side of her that she didn't know if she was ready to accept another person into. A side that ran deeper than what any physical contact or relationship could reach, it was a part of her past that was still too raw and sensitive. He knew, some how he knew and a part of her wanted to accept that, to let him in, to talk about it. But there was always that other side, the side that usually won and today was no exception... the side that wanted to escape.

She wanted to stay, he had opened up to her, revealed a dark painful secret of his own and for a moment he looked just as vulnerable as she did as his eyes pleaded for her acceptance.

Instead Cissnei did something she already knew she was going to regret for the rest of her life. Turning her back on him wracked with tears she ran from Kunsel sobbing openly and this time he didn't chase after her.

* * *

**Chapter 21 Part 2- Total surrender**

Zack gazed lazily out of the inn window, bathing in the soft blue glow of a near to full moon. He was now stuck in a room on his own while most of the others were out in the town, sleep being the last thing on everyones mind after earliers events. Zack was confined to a third room they had hired after the town had taken a considerable spike in security in the last few hours. With Zack's face being known practically nationwide it was now too risky for him to venture out. They had hired the extra room more as a look out post than anything, it was a better positioned room on the first floor that looked out over the front of the building. Perfect for seeing or in Zack's case hearing if any SOLDIER or Shinra troopers began conducting any house searches.

It was actually incredible that the inn had not been raided already, after the president went missing, the most logical place for Shinra to search would be a public rest house in the nearest town to Midgar. It was almost as if Shinra were not actually trying to look for Rufus but were simply trying to make it look as if they were. Regardless Zack wasn't willing to take any chances and so here he was, trapped alone in the small room, bored out of his skull.

After two hours of solitude there was a soft tapping on the door making Zack smile in relief, he knew who he was expecting and hoping for it to be. Opening the door he frowned as he was greeted by an empty corridor.

"Ahem... down here" a deep yet distinctly young sounding voice spoke from nowhere.

Slightly startled Zack looked down and was surprised to see Red perched outside his door.

"Oh hey Red... sorry bout that buddy, come in"

"Expecting someone else?" Red quizzed as Zack turned casually back into the room.

Red observed the action of Zack turning his back on him with curiosity. This group was strange to say the least, most humans including his own tribe took months, close to years to get used to him. Yet Zack and the others seemed completely unfazed and comfortable in his presence after just a few days. It actually felt quite nice.

"No no, to be honest I'm just grateful for any kind of company... no offense" Zack added quickly glancing back at Red from the window. "How you have managed to be cooped up with Rufus Shinra all day without going insane is beyond me"

"It's not been that bad really, despite being many things Rufus Shinra is intriguing to talk to, to say the least"

"So you've got to know Rufus pretty well?" Zack asked, dropping into a chair he had moved next to the window and kicking his feet up onto a second one positioned opposite.

"Well I wouldn't go that far but I think I have a pretty good idea of his motives"

"And what are his motives?", Zack signalled his hand into the room to tell Red to make himself comfortable as he was still stood near the door.

"It's fine, I can't stay long, I left Jessie with Rufus and I don't want to leave her with him for long"

"You reckon hell try something?" Zack asked in concern.

"Well that's just it, I don't think he will, Rufus hasn't even shown an inkling of trying to escape. Now one thing I do know is he is not some helpless child, I reckon he could have escaped ten times over by now if he really wanted to"

"So you think he's hanging around on purpose?", Zack sat up in concentration.

"To be blunt about it, yes"

"Why?"

"I think he needs answers on Sephiroth just as badly as we do and it isn't like his job is at jeopardy, he can step back into Shinra any time he likes. So why wouldn't he stick around?"

"I don't know if I should be concerned or relieved about this" Zack responded truthfully. "Thank you Red, that helps... though I'm guessing you didn't come over here to discuss Rufus Shinra"

"No... no I didn't"

While Zack couldn't claim himself to be an expert in reading the facial expressions of whatever Red's species was, his best guess for Red's current appearance would be despondent sadness. Red took a deep breath.

"I'm grateful for the way you guys helped me escape Shinra and I will continue to assist you, but only until we reach Cosmo Canyon"

"That your home?"

Red nodded almost mournfully, "I have a duty to protect the village... I wanted you to know... I"

"I understand pal" Zack assured cutting Red off, "you don't need to explain anything"

A comfortable silence fell between them, both deep in thought. If Zack was honest he was going to miss Red being around, he provided the entire group with a sense of security, he was the quiet, vigilant sentinel. Ever observing and ever insightful. Not to mention a damn good fighter. Red made to leave and Zack called over to him, one thing playing on his mind.

"Red... why are you telling this to me?"

Red turned his head to look back at him.

"Zack, you might have other ideas, but everyone in this group see's you as their leader, even Barret, despite the fact he might occasionally like to boast otherwise"

Zack sighed, he already knew deep down this was the case.

"It just makes the responsibility all the more..."

"Real?" Red finished for him, Zack nodded. "Yeah I get that... but Zack, everyone knows the risks their taking, they all know what's at stake. No one is going to blame you if something bad happens"

"It's not them blaming me I worry about" Zack heaved gazing out of the window into the wondrously clear night sky.

"You blame yourself for Sephiroth and Cloud don't you?"

Zack didn't reply, he just stared up and out. There was further silence.

"Well I've said what I wanted to say" Red sighed before trying to make the situation light-hearted. "Besides, I couldn't have told Barret even I wanted to, he's out getting wasted, I can hear him having a shouting match ten streets from here"

Red's chuckle was a strange sound, it almost sounded like a pur and wheeze rolled into one which made Zack grin.

"Barret Wallace is on the town, lock up your sons Kalm! one of them is likely to get punched in the face" Zack laughed.

"Something like that" Red agreed in what sounded like a humorous growl. "Well I better get back to Jessie before Rufus winds her up or Yuffie tries to make another assassination attempt"

"Night Red" Zack grinned, looking back out of the window.

"Ummmm Zack... do you mind?"

Zack looked across the room to see Red incline his head at the door.

"... twisty handle" he explained sheepishly.

"Oh!" Zack exclaimed cottoning on. Jumping up he went and opened the door for Red who nodded in gratitude and then padded away down the corridor.

Zack had only returned to his seat for couple of minutes before the door knocked again. Zack opened up with his eyes angled at the floor, half expecting it to be Red coming back again for some reason.

"Expecting a dwarf are we?" Aerith giggled bending down into his field of vision.

"Well you are rather short" Zack teased, instantly lighting up at her presence.

"You know you're a real big meanie" Aerith pouted.

"Well that's a first for the books" Zack chuckled, walking back into the room.

"I guess people just don't know you as well as I do" she teased.

Seeing Aerith still standing awkwardly in the doorway he went back and took her hand.

"Don't be a stranger" he smiled, guiding her into the room and closing the door behind her. "Unless you're in a rush that is" he quickly added.

"No, no rush" she insisted, happily taking his hand in return and keeping hold of it.

"So what's up?" Zack asked before mentally kicking himself for implying that something needed to be 'up' for her to pay him a visit. "... sorry, it's just I thought you were staying at your mothers tonight"

"I was" she remarked turning her back to wander over and run her finger along the mantle piece "but then it was bugging me that I was still in debt and so I decided to come and repay it"

"Debt?"

She twirled around energetically linking her hands behind her back and leaning her face on a tilt towards him "I owe you a date remember silly, for being my bodyguard"

"Oh... trust me I don't expect to get paid, I messed that job up big time..."

"Why do you do that Zack?", Aerith demanded, almost sounding angry, if such an emotion was even possible for his flower girl.

"Huh?"

"Put yourself down all the time and blame yourself for everything"

She was the second person to point that out now, was he really becoming that syniccal?

"Ok fine, you owe me a date" he conceded.

"That's better" she grinned eagerly stepping up behind him and pushing him towards one of the two seats near the window by the lower back.

"What right now!?" he spluttered being forced into the seat.

"Sure, why not?" she remarked, sweetly linking her arms around his neck from behind and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "We're leaving again first thing in the morning right? who knows when we'll get another chance"

Aerith was becoming so bold and confident with their relationship and Zack would be lying if he said he didn't love it. Thought it remained a relationship that had still not been verbally defined after Yuffie's gracious interruption earlier. Perhaps he should try to restart that conversation.

"Won't it be a bit boring having it in here?" he asked as she took the seat in front of him.

"Are you bored at the moment then?" Aerith replied, tilting her head with a questioning smile.

"NO! no! no not at all" he stammered, wondering when exactly he had started to become the nervous shy one out of the two of them.

"So Zack, besides being very good with sharp toys, a flower cart craftsmen and defending helpless flower girls, what else are you good at?"

"Expert! flower cart craftsmen I'll have you know" he proclaimed in mock anger, leaning forward in his seat to link his fingers through Aerith's. "I'm also a professional star-gazer" he lied.

"Really?" Aerith wrinkled her nose.

"After tonight I will be" he responded dryly making her laugh.

"Well you have me for company now" she beamed.

"What, all night long?"

"If you like" she replied casually before realizing with a flutter the accidental insinuation but decided against correcting it, wanting the comment to stand.

"So Mr. star-gazer" Aerith continued, diverting the subject "what wonders are on show for us tonight?"

"Hmmmmmm let me see" he trawled out in a fake wise-man act gazing sagely out of the window. "If you look over there you can see Aniek..." his voice trailed off as Aerith moved across and curled herself onto his lap, linking her hands around his neck and pressing her cheek to his to better see the point in the sky he was referring to. Clutching one hand around her waist and the other around her ankle they nestled in closer to one another, though when she had slipped off her boots Zack had no idea.

He continued with his hazy recollection of about the only constellation he knew.

"Can yo see Aniektos the giant crab?" he drew out the shape of the creature in the sky.

"I see it, though one of his legs looks a bit wonky" Aerith giggled, making Zack all to aware of her modest chest being pressed against his arm. "And he looks a bit grumpy" she frowned.

"Perhaps it's not Aniektos then, perhaps that's Barret the crab"

Aerith laughed tunefully which in turn made Zack crack up.

"So what happened to Aniektos?" she asked, just so perfectly content to continue hearing his voice.

"Aniektos was charged by the god of the sea with protecting his daughters, the sea nymphs. Aniektos took his role of protector real serious and when the god of monsters Typhon attacked, he enlisted the help of Vimari who he believed to be his friend to defeat Typhos. Little did he know Vimari had ill intentions and when he got close enough to Aniektos and the sea nymphs he seized his opportunity to betray Aniektos and devour the sea nymphs"

"That's so sad" Aerith mumbled, lost in the sound of his voice and the wondrous display of the cosmos above.

"Well don't feel too bad for him, he should have known better, especially considering Vimari translates as 'vampire squid'"

"Do another one" she urged giggling, brushing a hand from his neck to his chest, unthinkingly becoming curious to see if his heart was pounding as fiercely as hers. Her heartbeat was quickening as she was gradually becoming more aware of his body against hers, the contact between them and the desire that was building inside of her.

"Ok, over there" Zack pointed to another point in the sky and traced out a lopsided stick man, running out of stories.

"Who's he?"

"He's a strong, funny, handsome warrior who hurts himself falling from the heavens and was in need of rescuing"

"What happened to him?"

"A pretty flower girl he falls in love with saves him and they..."

"Zack! you're making it up!" she attacked his ribs with a giggle, "but I like that story". Shifting in his lap Aerith sat up to gaze into his eyes, "though that strong, handsome and on the odd occasion, funny warrior.."

"Hey!" Zack interjected in offense.

".. he needs to realize it was him who saved the flower girl and she wants to show him just how much she truly loves him"

Her words had the desired effect and Zack flipped her entire body around to face him as he planted his lips to her mouth which welcomed him eagerly. The contact began as a gentle grabbing of lips in which Aerith explored and switched between his upper and lower lip, unable to decide which she preferred more and finally concluding she loved them both equally. Anticipation, lust and desire building between them their kiss transitioned into a passionate open-mouthed exchange as hands started to explore one another's body. His hands were down her back, her hips, over her legs and then even on her rear, making her tremble with excitement as he squeezed and her dress started to ride up her thighs.

_BANG BANG BANG_

"YOOOOOO! Porcupine, open the fuck up man!"

"You have got to be kidding me!" Zack groaned at the interruption just as Aerith had begun clawing at his shirt.

"Ignore him" he whispered into her lips.

"YOOOOO Porcstar, hurry the hell up! I'm on the run"

Barret sounded absolutely trashed.

Aerith climbed off him with a laugh and Zack stood up to angrily march towards the door but not before giving Aerith a 'don't go anywhere' kind of look.

"What do you want!?" Zack barked, throwing the door open a little too hard and nearly snapping it off its hinges.

"Don't ya' takes that tone wiv me mr hot-shot SOLDIER" Barret slurred, attempting to point at Zack while swaying on the spot.

"This ain't a great time B, go back to your own room"

"I can't, I gotta hide in 'ere, I's gotsa nutter after me"

The sound of Yuffie yelling equally as drunkenly two corridors away made Barret jump in alarm and try to gain sanctuary in Zack's room but Zack stopped him with an arm.

"Did you get Yuffie drunk!" Zack hissed quietly, not wanting to attract the ninja himself.

"... maybe" Barret staggered on the spot with a guilty look on his face.

"B! she's underage man"

"Oh cry me a river gel-boy, she promised if I gave her a drink she would be quiet... she lied"

"You really thought alcohol would be the thing that hushed Yuffie up? and I don't even wear gel!"

"And my shits smell like cinnamon buns! let me touch it"

Barret assaulted Zack's head as he leaned it out into the corridor to check up and down that no hyperactive ninja's were approaching.

"I will literally pay you a thousand gil to go away" Zack implored letting go of the door to swat away Barret's arm.

"Look if this is 'cause ya' bein' a little bitch bout ma' snoring again then..." the room door swung open revealing Aerith in Zack's room.

"Hi Barret!" she called cheerily while Zack gave him 'the eye'.

"Oh hey Aeri... Oooohhhh" Barret twigged on.

At that moment Yuffie came caterwauling around the corner, screaming incomprehensible slur as she spotted Barret.

"You owe me!" Barret yelled taking off in the opposite direction down the corridor. Zack quickly closed the door just in time to not be spotted by a screaming Yuffie crashing passed his bedroom door. The girl seemed more on drugs than alcohol.

Zack sighed, pressing his hand against the closed door and thumped his head against it. He just could not catch a break.

"Sorry about that" he called, thinking Aerith was on the other side of the room but as he turned it was now she who thumped him up against the door as she pressed heatedly up against his body and drove her mouth onto his again. This could be the last night that she and Zack could have together in a long time and she had no intention of it being wasted. Whether it was her or him who started it first Aerith had no idea, but their tongues began to switch between swirling and flicking against one another as the heat between them escalated. Soon they were battling for control of one another's body as she pressed him to the door, then he took over and planted her up against the nearby wall, kissing at her neck and neckline. Aerith gasped then took back control and grabbed Zack by his shirt, never breaking contact of their fervent mouths as she pulled him to the base of the single double bed in the room.

"Are you sure about this?" Zack panted breathlessly into her mouth.

"More than anything, I love you" she heaved in reply, shuddering with arousal as she guided his hands over her body and to the zipper of her dress down one side. Peeling it down slowly Zack savored in the slow unveiling of her body as she chewed her slightly reddened lips nervously. Then he froze.

"Zack? what is it?" Aerith objected, not wanting him to stop. There was an extreme amount of pain in his eyes as he reached out to stroke an area of skin just below her violet colored bra. He had seen the boldly printed black 'XIV' tattoo that Hojo had given her and he stared at in bottomless horror and rage and then he recoiled from her. Struck with a wave of fear that this would be the thing to ruin their night, Aerith grabbed his hand to bring him back, refusing to have their night together destroyed.

"No Zack, I'm not gonna let this effect us" she stated adamantly.

Dropping his hand she turned to her dress and finished off the remaining distance that the zipper had to travel. Shifting slightly she let it slip off her body to the floor leaving her in nothing but her violet bra and matching panties. Aerith stood there on display, feeling slightly self-conscious as he took her in but more than anything praying that he would join her in not allowing the tattoo to win.

She released a squeal of relief and delight as he fulfilled her wish and swept her off her feet to hook her bare legs around his waist. She clawed the shirt off his back while he held her up with his hands by her backside, his fingers linking into her knickers while he kissed in between and around the top of her breasts. Dropping Aerith on to her back they fell on to the bed and into a whole new episode of passionate kissing and touching that made all of their previous physical intimacy seem like kindergarten innocence. Before long the only scrap of clothing that remained between them were the purple underwear Aerith was wearing. Zack hooked his fingers slowly into the band of her knickers and combined with the incredible foreplay between them, Aerith was one step away from begging for him to remove them.

"Is this your first time?" he purred into her ear, still holding her by the bottoms.

She nodded apprehensively, her shy side showing up for a cameo appearance.

Knowing and secretly feeling pleased that he needed to be extra gentle with her Zack completed the final undressing. Then began the sleepless night of ecstasy that would forever be etched fondly in both of their memories and leaving no further doubt as to the status of their relationship.


	22. Chasing shadows

**Chapter 22 Part 1- Chasing shadows**

Jessie grinned, she had never seen so many different extremes of emotions under one roof at any given moment. They were all gathered in Elmyra's new home upon her insistence that they all come over for breakfast and set out on full stomachs. All crammed into the kitchen/dinning room, Barret and Yuffie sat huddled together in the corner, Yuffie still with a blanket wrapped around her head and both suffering from the worst hangovers known to mankind. Jessie chuckled as she watched Marlene show no mercy in climbing all over her dad, squealing happily and making them both wince in pain.

Tifa and Red seemed their usual selves, Red sitting on the other side of the room, keeping his distance from Marlene who had spent half the morning pulling on his tail. Tifa was helping Elmyra with food, a job that Jessie had originally been enlisted upon but after dropping two cups, a plate and some of the worst shell filled egg cracking you'd ever seen, she had been dismissed from the duty. Jessie had never been competent at cooking. Her dismissal however was well worth it as it was utterly hilarious to watch Elmyra demand that "Mr too big for his boots" earn his meal and take Jessie's place. When Tifa and Elmyra turned on him, Rufus Shinra's eyes almost popped out of his head. Jessie had never seen anyone refuse to do something so adamantly and yet somehow five minutes later was glaring into a pan of sizzling bacon. Holding her PHS under the table she snapped a quick picture of the most powerful man in all of Gaia flipping strips of pig in between two nagging women. It was just a shame he had refused and stuck to his guns that he wasn't gonna be seen dead in the kitten print apron they tried to force upon him that Jessie had originally been wearing.

Kunsel's mood was about the strangest, he sat looking deflated, almost miserable, head down looking at the table most of the morning and greeting any and all good mornings with a light grunt. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that with Cissnei being absent, something had transgressed between the pair but no one volunteered to broach the subject.

As for Aerith and Zack, well now that was a whole other story, their appearances could best be described as a couple who had just won the lottery and had been up all night celebrating. While it largely went unnoticed by the rest of the group, Jessie watched in curiosity to see what had got their moods so high. She noticed as they caught each others eye across the kitchen and the Cheshire cat-like grins that stretched over both their faces while Aerith laid the table and Zack just kicked back in his seat watching her contently.

It was when Aerith had finished laying the table and she took a seat next to him, wincing slightly as she came in contact with the chair that Jessie's eyes bugged in realization. Unable to wait until after breakfast she jumped up excitedly, scraping her chair back noisily as she did so making Yuffie and Barret groan in unison.

"Ahhhhh... urrrrr... my head... please kill me..."

"...dammit Jess... not so loud girl... Marlene.. baby... please stop smackin' daddy's head"

"Aerith can I talk to you a sec!" Jessie urged, trying to stay calm and hardly able to contain herself.

Jessie didn't even wait for a response, grabbing Aerith by the arm she whooshed the girl away into the living room, shut the door quickly and rounded on Aerith enthusiastically.

"Jessie what are you..."

"You and Zack had sex last night!" Jessie shrieked in what was supposed to be a hushed voice.

"Shhhhh" Aerith giggled, lighting up with equal enthusiasm. "Yeah we did!" she squeaked in such a high pitch it was one octave away from only Red being capable of hearing it.

Jessie let out a long throaty squeal, snatching Aerith's hands in hers and doing a number of excited little jumps on the spot.

"Tell me everything!" Jessie insisted biting her lip but not before she quickly smooshed Aerith in a brief tight hug.

"Jessie!" Aerith tried to act appalled in the name of modesty but soon crumbled back into excitement, dying to tell someone. "Six times!" she whispered into Jessie's ear with an ecstatic blush.

Jessie almost melted into a puddle on the spot while Aerith pressed her with more 'shhh' noises.

"Six!... six!" Jessie mouthed, "no wonder you can hardly sit down"

Aerith's blush deepened, "it was my first time" she admitted with slight embarrassment.

Jessie didn't know if she could listen to anymore without exploding at the sheer cuteness of it all.

"Was he good?" Jessie pried shamelessly.

Aerith looked at the door and fidgeted for a while, but then thought about it and lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Wonderful" she breathed, sighing deeply with content.

They both quickly stopped talking and snapped alert like naughty children as the living room door opened slowly, followed by Yuffie's quiet murmuring to Elmyra back in the kitchen.

"..ok...ok.. get off my back... I'm a victim in all this ya know"

Yuffie shuffled slowly into the room groaning, still looking like a giant caterpillar wrapped up in her quilt. Squinting painfully at the brightness of the room she walked at a granny's pace right up to Aerith and Jessie so her nose was almost touching their shoulders.

"... Your mom made me come tell ya foods..." Yuffie gagged at the word, making Aerith and Jessie take a sudden step away from her, "...foods ready" she gulped, whispering in a hoarse voice and still wincing at her own volume.

Aerith nodded to Yuffie and then shared one last secret joyful glance with Jessie as they both gently escorted the waddling caterpillar back to the kitchen.

As per her mothers usual tendency, their was more food laid out than what a heard of Elphadunks could eat. Exchanging another ear to ear grin with Zack as she entered the room, Aerith gingerly went to take a seat next to her lover. Just before she made contact with the chair an expertly aimed cushion came flying out of nowhere to soften her seat. Looking in surprise she made eye contact with Kunsel who still had his head in his hands looking not quite himself. Tilting his face Aerith gasped as he shot her a quick wink and a forced smile before pointing to his ear. Aerith withered and her face reddened as she sank in her seat, damn Kunsel and his enhanced hearing. Then it hit her that if Kunsel had heard her and Jessie's conversation, then so had...

Bolting around Aerith's jaw dropped open as she turned to look at Zack who was grinning broadly at her, leaning back on his seat and looking awfully proud of himself.

"Four legs please Zack" Elmyra sang, bumping the back of his chair with her hip, oven mit clad hands carrying a hot tray of scrambled Chocobo egg.

"Sorry Mrs... Elmyra" Zack tripped as he always did.

"Honestly Zack, how long am I going to continue being Mrs Elmyra?" Aerith's mom grinned.

"Sorry... habit" Zack chuckled, nervously scratching the back of his head.

"Tuck in everyone" Elmyra announced.

Hands lunged for food, the most exuberant of which was Barret who's stomach, unlike his fellow suffering drinking partner, was a bottomless pit on a hang over.

Aerith giggled watching her friends amusing interactions with one another, particularly as she oversaw a subtle interaction between her mom and Rufus as she attempted to teach him some manners. The president grabbed a pair of tongs and dropped two sausages on his plate.

"Yes thank you Rufus, two for me please" Elmyra chirped holding out her plate to him.

Rufus eyed her for a moment, his infamous scowl strapped to his face. The stare off lingered for a time, Elmrya smiling sweetly and Rufus looking like a stubborn child about to refuse. Elmyra raised her eye brow and Rufus relented with a grumble, dishing out the requested amount.

Aerith sat smiling brightly and Zack noticed, giving the top of her leg a squeeze under the table and a warm smile, pleased to see her so cheerful. Pressing her hand to his in return Aerith just felt so happy and content she could cry, if only they could stay like this forever. She almost didn't want to eat just so she could continue looking around at all of her friends, that's when she noticed Red perched on the floor and Aerith turned to him before serving herself any food.

"Ummmm do you want a chair or... ummm" Aerith ventured unsurely, trying not to offend Red, not that he ever seemed to be.

"Down here is fine" he replied.

"You sure?" Aerith returned, not wanting Red to feel degraded eating off the floor.

"Quite sure" he insisted.

"It's all been cooked" Aerith pointed out sounding apologetic.

"Yes, such a time-consuming task and quite a waste of flavor if you ask me."

Aerith chuckled, it was so strange to hear a person talk like that.

Dishing a variety of meat on a plate she prepared him breakfast and set it down on the floor, not able to resist giving him a quick stroke. An often sneaky interaction between the two of them and a guilty pleasure he allowed Aerith to get away with.

Breakfast passed lightheartedly and Aerith cherished every second of the precious time, knowing that soon afterwards they were setting out and things would never be the same again.

* * *

**Chapter 22 part 2- Chasing shadows**

The group quickly slipped back into its routine of walking and fighting followed by more walking and more fighting. Not that the monsters were terribly taxing and so Zack allowed some of the more inexperienced members of the party the opportunity to gain some extra experience and level some materia. Zack watched as they finished off a large group of Capparwire's, laughing as Aerith squawked excitedly at her most commonly used lighting one and cure one materia's pulsing brighter, upgrading into their level two forms.

Jessie at the same time was amazing the entire group with her progress, impressing them with the damage her new pimped out electro-mag rod was dealing.

After a small celebration Aerith looked over her shoulder at Zack, there was something about seeing Aerith fresh from a fight with a gentle wind lightly blowing through her delicate curls that made him shudder with how beautiful she looked. Strolling by the happy pair feeling proud of both of them Zack gave Jessie an approving nod and Aerith a sly pinch on the bum as he passed making her squeak gleefully.

The group continued trekking for a number of hours with Yuffie gradually getting louder and more energetic in stark correlation with her hangover wearing off. Eventually it was Tifa who called them to their first stop.

"Ok stop!... I know you said she needs some space Kunsel, but seriously, where is Cissnei?"

The group pulled to a halt, all eyes turned to Kunsel who sighed heavily, not wanting to discuss it again.

"Like I said, she just needs some..."

"Time... yeah you said, but were nearing the swamp to the mithril mines now and we'll get split up if we go in without her" Tifa logically pointed out.

"Mines? what are we going to some stinky old mines for?" Yuffie whined.

"We explained it all earlier Yuffie, Kunsel got a lead that Sephiroth was sighted around there. Weren't you listening?" Zack called in exasperation.

"Funnily enough spiky-head the only sound I've been hearing all morning is the high-pitched ringing in my brain because gramps over here forced alcohol down my throat" Yuffie cried for sympathy.

"Forced! forced!... why ya' lil!..."

Tifa restrained Barret's inevitable colorful expletive by pressing a hand to his mouth.

"Look" Kunsel heaved, "It's not my place to say why Cissnei has gone, but she's a big girl and we always have her number to let her know where we are".

In truth Kunsel had tried to call Cissnei about thirty times, his heart had dropped especially low when she eventually switched her phone of all together. That or she had blocked his number. Now he was regretting crossing the line and bringing up that he knew about her name and her past under such erratic circumstances.

Kunsel turned and continued walking, dismissing any further discussion on the matter. Right now he couldn't give a damn about Sephiroth, Shinra, promised lands and two thousand-year old aliens trying to take over the world. Now all he wanted to do was turn in the opposite direction and go find Cissnei, but logic told him chasing her would never work, Turks could be the most stubborn of them all at times.

"...poor guy" Tifa mumbled as the rest of the group watched Kunsel walk away and Aerith jogging to catch him up and link her arm through his, being there if he wanted to talk.

"So what exactly are we looking for at these mines?" Jessie put to the others.

"Bodies, blood, evil-looking stuff, anything that can confirm Sephiroth was in fact there" Zack replied.

"An wha' happens if we do find sumin?" Barret spoke, still a bit down in the dumps himself after his emotional goodbye with Marlene and his grilling from Elmyra not to get himself killed.

This time it was Rufus who replied.

"Then we know he has crossed the mountains, leaving only one of two places he could have gone. Fort Condor or Junon. Of the two the only interest I can think he might have is in Junon, that would be his only option if he was looking to cross the sea"

"So... what are we gonna do about it?" Tifa asked, "Kunsel said Heideggar and Scarlet have turned Junon and Midgar into military police states, we can't exactly walk in their being the size of a group that we are"

"That's where he comes in" Zack thumbed at Rufus who didn't seem in the slightest bit surprised.

"Any plan tha' relies on tha' slippery li'l bastard ain't a plan tha' sits well with me!" Barret snorted.

Zack and Red exchanged a glance and a nod, Zack praying that Red's theory was right and that Rufus felt he needed them to get answers on Sephiroth.

"I can see why me father despised you in particular" Rufus muttered in a monotone voice, walking off after Kunsel and Aerith.

"Yeah tha's right!" Barret returned proudly, "an' don't ya' forget it foo!"

The rest of the group continued walking while Tifa shook her head at Barret disapprovingly.

"Wha'!?" Barret spluttered.

"Don't you get what were trying to do here? we need Rufus on our side" she remarked sourly.

"Ahh screw him, hes'a lost cause, le's just dump him at Junon, deal with Sephiroth, an' go back to tha' original plan an' blow every reactor we find sky-high"

"Things have changed Barret, we need to change, AVALANCHE needs to change"

"Fine" Barret grumbled, "but if tha' punk turns us in at Junon I'll give him tha' beatin' of his life"

Tifa grinned and took Barret's real arm as they took off after the others.

"If he does that you'll have to get to him before I do"

* * *

**Chapter 22 Part 3- Chasing shadows**

By mid afternoon they had arrived at the edge of the swamp and they stood staring into the watery foul expanse. After standing there for many minutes in confusion at what everyone was waiting for, Yuffie stomped off into the muddy water with a frown.

"Are you mad!?" Kunsel yelled while Zack grabbed the girl back.

"S'only a bit of mud!" Yuffie exclaimed trying to shove Zack's hand off and failing. "Jeez! scared you'll get your high heels dirty?" she squirmed.

"The Midgar Zolom lives in there" Zack explained, creasing his face in disgust as Yuffie licked his hand to try and repel him off.

"What's a Midgar Zolom?" Aerith asked, feeling creeped out just by the name.

"It's one nasty ass snake that tracks its prey by sound and movement" Rufus replied, squinting thoughtfully at the swamp.

The moment Jessie heard the word snake she quickly stuck her fingers in her ears, being the only one who knew about Barret's phobia of snakes. Even with her hearing impaired Barret's bellowing shout still sounded loud.

"SNAKE!... OH HELL NO!... WE AIN'T GOIN' NEAR NO DAMN SNAKES!"

"B, it's a two-day hike to go around the mountain, Sephiroth will be long gone on the other continent by then. We have no choice" Zack reasoned.

"Nawww is the big boss man scaredy waredy of some little snakey wakeys" Yuffie jeered, having Barret's huge palm drape over her face in response.

"Their about forty-foot and weigh nearly eight tonnes each" Zack commented, making Yuffie gulp and Barret the closest to feinting they'd ever seen him.

"So how do we get across?" Tifa put out there.

"We need to create some kind of distraction with either movement or sound" Rufus mumbled.

"Oooh I got an idea! le's send tha' squirt out as bait" Barret suggested, nudging Yuffie one step into the swamp who bolted back out with a yelp, nearly standing on Red's paw in the process.

"I got it! someone give me their PHS" Jessie piped up enthusiastically with a plan.

There was a round of murmuring and excuses as Jessie looked from person to person to fulfill her request.

"Err I need to keep mine, I'm the only one with Cissnei's number" Kunsel replied lamely.

"I promised my mom I'd try to call her every night and... she'll be worried if I don't" Aerith insisted sheepishly.

"Are you really looking at me?" Red responded with his unique feline chuckle.

"You dumped mine in a river on day one remember" Rufus jeered, happy at the sweet justice.

"My batteries dead" was Zack's excuse as Jessie turned to him.

"Lier!" Yuffie prodded him, attracting the stare of Jessie onto herself. "Don't look at me! I'm from Wutai, I didn't know what a toaster was before today! Ask boobs"

"Don't call me that" Tifa replied automatically like she always did, "why don't you just use yours Jess?" the martial artist skillfully deflected back.

Jessie knew the reason she didn't want to lose her PHS but she didn't want to admit to it. Ashamed and angry at herself that Reno's texts had become a guilty pleasure to her.

"Oh fer' christ sake here! use mine!" Barret boomed handing Jessie his PHS. "Dunno how the damn thing works anyway..."

"Thanks B!" Jessie chirped over a chorus of relieved sighs.

Taking his PHS Jessie moved away to go sit cross-legged in the long grass. Ripping off the back of the device she spent fifteen minutes tweaking the wires and the current to make the phone as loud as possible without blowing the speakers. Standing back up Jessie went back to the others as she tested the device by playing the first song on Barret's playlist. A slow, sensual rhythm and blues tune came blaring through the speaker making everyone stare at an embarrassed looking Barret.

"Tha' came with tha' phone..." he tried to convince them.

"Are we trying to attract the Zolom's or start a mating session?" Zack laughed.

"You'd know all about that" Jessie giggled under her breath as she looked for a different track.

"What was that?" Zack interrogated.

"Nothing!" Jessie chimed finding a catchy victory fanfare tune on Barret's phone that would do the job nicely. "Ok now we just need whoever's fastest to drop it on a nearby rock, they should have time to get a few yards in before the Zolom arrives... probably"

Everyone slowly turned to look at Red whose ears dropped back under their stares, now he was regretting running through the fields at a maximum speed faster than both SOLDIER's after escaping Hojo's lab. Resigning to his fate Red took the painfully loud on his ears PHS in his mouth, the speakers violent vibration making his teeth rattle as he did so. Setting his sights on a rocky outcrop about twenty yards into the swamp Red dashed out to the sound of encouraging shouts from his team. Quick as lightning Red arrived at his destination and gingerly placed the device on the stone and ran back unmolested by any giant serpents.

It wasn't long before a gruesomely large black shadow was snaking its way towards the sound of the fanfare and Aerith could have sworn she heard Barret whimper behind her.

"Lets go!" Zack called to the entire group and began sprinting across on the opposite side of the marsh. It was a long hard run and although Red, Kunsel and Zack could have been across in half the time they kept pace with the others. Panting heavily the groups pace gradually began to slow as the blaring PHS vibrated away, gradually shifting closer to the edge of the rock it was perched on.

Falling of the rock into the water the group froze in alarm as the fanfare suddenly cut out. Turning slowly eyes widened as the black slithering form changed direction, darting towards them at a pace they couldn't outrun.

"Get back!" Zack yelled, pushing Aerith behind him as the Zolom crashed out of the swamp in a whirl of fangs and scales. Wasting no time the group split into their positions, with the two SOLDIER's leading the assault. Kunsel with his claymore and Zack with his newly acquired mythril saber, they took it in turns to attack and retreat at lightning speeds to draw the creatures attention while Tifa, Jessie and Red attacked the incredible size of the body. The Zolom screeched deafeningly with fury, thrashing its body with scales that were more like razor-sharp metal plates. Aerith's cure two materia proved invaluable from the back of the group while Barret fired away and Yuffie hurled her shuriken with a skill that would make Cissnei proud, everyone focusing on bringing down the attacking monster.

Unknown to them a second Zolom was twisting its way towards the single isolated target at the back of the group casting her healing spells to her comrades. Getting closer it went undetected by everyone who was fighting its partner and the second Zolom lunged at the unaware girl with six foot long fangs that Aerith had no possible hope of escaping from.

As the Zolom burst from the water a heavy body dove onto Aerith, shoving her under the water just in time to avoid being ripped to pieces. Coughing and spluttering Aerith resurfaced in disbelief next to Rufus Shinra who'd had no weapon to fight with and therefore had noticed the second creature. Aerith's stunned perplexity that he had saved her life was short-lived and Aerith screamed as the Zolom that almost killed her lunged again for the both of them, with Rufus in no position to save her this time. The rest of the group turned to Aerith's scream in time to see the additional adversary attacking just as the one they were attacking was in its final throes of life.

A chorus of helpless panicked cries yelled out, accompanied by five loud bangs being blasted from out of nowhere. The mysterious shots hit the beast square in the head causing it to recoil and saving the pairs life just as Rufus had saved Aerith. Given their opportunity the entire team intercepted to bring down the new opponent.

They battled away in unison all under the hidden watchful gaze of Tseng stood at the entrance of the mines. Gun in hand and gritting his teeth in fury at how close Aerith had come to getting killed.

The Turks had arrived.

* * *

**Chapter 22 Part 4- Chasing shadows**

Drenched in mud and dirt the group trudged out of the swamp and collapsed onto dry land, silence washed over them as they gasped to get their breath back. Before she was fully recovered Aerith was on her feet, running she crashed into Rufus with a grateful emotional hug. The president went rigid as the flower girl latched onto him around the midsection, detaining his arms stiffly to the side.

"You saved me! you really saved me!" Aerith bayed.

The entire group stared on in equal disbelief, Barret in particular looked as if had just seen a line of giant moogles go marching by. Rufus shoved Aerith off in aggravation.

"I only did it so I didn't have to hear Fair cry like a baby for days!" Rufus snarled at the group, becoming irritated by their fixation and walking away towards the mine.

"Rufus!" Zack called after him, needing to thank the man.

"Shut it Fair and let's go" Rufus called back dismissively.

Everyone followed except Zack who pulled Aerith to one side visibly disturbed.

"I'm taking you back to Kalm", holding Aerith by her arms he was shaking terribly.

"Zack it's ok, I'm fine, nothing happened" she comforted, brushing an assuring hand across the side of his face.

"No it's not fine", Zack sounded so scared. "It's been proven time and time again that I can't protect you, you're going back to your mothers"

"That's not your decision to make, this is my journey too, there are answers I need as well"

"... please... let me take you home..." he begged "Aerith I can't lose..."

Before he could finish his words Aerith grabbed his mouth to hers, lovingly and desperately kissing his comment away.

"Never say that Zack" Aerith cooed tenderly, moving away from his lips just enough to press her forehead to his. "You will never lose me, I promised you I'd always be here right?"

Zack sighed, unable to form words and so he settled on holding her close instead, scrunching one hand through her soft brown curls and kissing the corner of her mouth, wanting so desperately just to keep her safe. Aerith was his last connection to sanity and if he lost her Zack could very well believe he would end up joining the same darkness that had claimed his three closest friends, Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis.

The sound of Rufus Shinra releasing a low whistle grabbed their attention, followed by a string of gasps as others joined the president around the corner leading towards the mines.

"Zack... I think you should take a look at this" Tifa called shakily.

Jogging over to see what they were all looking wide-eyed at, Zack recoiled at the grizzly sight of a Zolom larger than both of the ones they had faced, impaled on a large spike by its jaw and out of the top of its skull. It was exactly the same way that Sephiroth had killed the black dragon in Nibelheim that swiped Cloud.

"Think that's proof enough that Sephiroth came through here?" Tifa asked, everyone nodded grimly in response.

Kunsel walked up to the base of the enormous spike, peeling of a glove he rolled a swipe of blood between his finger and thumb, testing its consistency.

"Sephiroth was here about a day and half ago"

"Then we need to get moving" Rufus firmed in determination, heading boldly into the mine.

"Wait!" Aerith urged, "someone else could be in there, there were gunshots remember"

"I hardly doubt whoever they are, they wasted bullets saving us from the Zolom just so they could shoot us themselves" the president scoffed, marching away.

"He's got a point" Kunsel shrugged to Aerith following after the man, weapon drawn none the less.

They all filed into the mine in single file line, except for Jessie who lingered at the rear. Stopping at the entrance she turned to look around the surrounding swamp and mountain side in curiosity. Who had fired those shots?

Turning to step into the mine Jessie's heart leaped into her throat as a hand grabbed and pulled her away from the entrance. Instinctively dropping straight into a maneuver Cissnei had taught her, Jessie grabbed her attackers arm and tried to twist their weight against them to throw them off but they skillfully broke the hold. Grabbing the electro-mag rod from her hip with the other hand she spun around, swinging viciously as the touch sensor registered her contact and the rod sparked to life. A strong hand blocked the attack by catching her wrist and Jessie's breath hitched sharply as she came face to face with a pair of gorgeous forest green eyes surrounded by those infamous red tattooed streaks on either side.

"Hey good lookin', miss me?"

Jessie's stomach went into a tail spin as she simply stared at him in shock while Reno still had a hold of her arm overhead. Stepping into her body Reno moved in closer towards her as he released Jessie's wrist, it took all of her effort not to drop the arm around his shoulders as the tension between them was electrifying.

Grinning slyly and secretly pleased to see him Jessie launched an attack at his side with the electro-mag. Quickly drawing his newer yet still inferior model Reno blocked the strike and sparks flew wildly between them as the two weapons came in contact.

Using everything Jessie had learned they twisted, danced and grappled around one another, switching between offensive and defensive strikes. They attacked one another relentlessly and Jessie soon discovered Reno was a lot more skillful with the weapon then his often seemingly erratic attacks let on, though she could still tell he was holding back. Jessie didn't hold back, she gave him everything she had, taking the chance to show off her skills and all the little improvements she had made to the rod that only he would notice. As his expression switched between looks of being intrigued, impressed and excited, Jessie grinned, feeling a sense of approval from him that made her glow.

They sparred for many minutes, slowly becoming more and more physical with one another, until eventually both rods were discarded thoughtlessly to the ground. Giving her last ounce of effort Jessie let him breathlessly slam her up against the nearby stone wall, sweat beading on both their foreheads and panting with exertion.

"So kitty has grown claws" Reno heaved provocatively, pinning both her arms above her head and shamelessly running his eyes up and down the curves of her body which despite herself she arched to accentuate.

"What are you doing here Reno?" Jessie purred angrily , trying not to lean her body back into his as he unashamedly pressed his into her.

"Ya haven't been responding to my texts gorgeous" he growled, squeezing her wrists tighter, punishing her.

"So sure of yourself aren't you?" Jessie mocked, hooking her leg around his, trying kick his feet out from under him just as Tifa had taught her. The move failed as he clamped her hitched leg against the wall and now his hips were buried deep between her thighs.

"Well I needed to find some way of gettin' a message across" he scorned, slipping his hands from her wrists into a tightly linked hold of her fingers against the coarse stone.

"Perhaps you should take the hint that I'm not interested?" she panted, mentally cursing him and his over confidence.

"Ya know it would be more convincing if ya told me that while ya weren't chewin' ya lip"

"Fuck you"

Jessie saw stars when Reno dropped one of her hands to grab her by the throat, pinning her harder against the wall and forcing his mouth against hers. Everything roller coastered for several seconds as he attacked her lips with his and she willingly took the assault. She surrendered to him for a short while before becoming angry that she was submitting to a Turk, she had grown stronger than this. Fighting back Jessie's free hand combed through his equally as red as hers hair and yanked hard while she drove her mouth into his even rougher to gain dominance. Digging her nails into the hand he still clamped her to the wall with she inflicted whatever pain she could to him, including biting on his lip and even his tongue when it had the audacity to enter her mouth. Her aggressive and raunchy response only served to spur him on and Jessie growled at Reno as he had the cheek to run his hands over her body.

Gaia she hated Turks... well... except for Cissnei.


	23. Necessary battles

**Chapter 23 Part 1- Necessary battles**

"Elena... relax"

Tseng watched casually as his newest Turk stood alert, jumping at every noise and one trigger squeeze away from shooting every shadow that moved. Elena blushed sheepishly with a nod, an extremely common occurrence whenever Tseng spoke to her.

"I still don't understand what we're doing here, shouldn't we be trying to take the president back?" Elena restlessly frenzied in confusion.

Tseng raised an eyebrow, "always so eager for a confrontation... you're a Turk now Elena, you're not in special ops anymore, we operate with a bit more elegance. Be sure to remember that"

Elena sighed, clearly still not getting it.

"So we're just gonna talk? And act hospitable to terrorists who are holding our employer hostage?"

"... for now" Tseng gritted sternly, closing any further invitation for Elena to express her obvious objection and disliking to his approach.

The young Turk seemed to get the message and settled on nervously fidgeting with her hair and outfit under his stare instead while scuffing her highly polished shoe over a loose scattering of stones on the cave floor.

A couple of minutes passed while they waited idly for Fair and the others to arrive. The corner of Tseng's mouth lifted ever so slightly as he watched Elena internally battle with her urge to ask the million and one questions coursing through her mind. At least now she was finally showing some restraint. Her head repeatedly lifted, mouth open, poised ready to speak but then closed and dropped again in hesitation to ask. It started off as amusing to watch but eventually it just became painful so Tseng decided to speak up for her.

"Go on Elena, what is it?"

"Ummmm ok... where's Reno?"

Elena aimed the question more towards Rude who stood ever-silently, leaning against the curve of a naturally formed stone archway within the cave wall. Rude simply shrugged, Reno was off being Reno and that usually meant you would have a better chance of predicting the throw of a dice then guessing what he could be up to. Hopefully he hadn't gone to stir trouble with AVALANCHE on his own, though Tseng wouldn't put it past the agent.

The sound of new voices bounced through the cavernous chambers and Tseng signalled for Elena to put her gun away which she did so reluctantly.

It was amusing to watch as AVALANCHE filed in and snapped their weapons up in alarm despite the fact the Turks stood obviously out in the open unarmed. Tseng waited calmly for their melodramatic responses to ease off, catching Aerith's eye as they did so. When she first stepped in and saw him her face lit up for a moment, happy to see him, just like it always used to. It almost made him smile back but Tseng knew it was only reactionary and before long it changed back to a hurt look of betrayal that also almost seemed like hostility.

"Hey look! Turkeys!" Yuffie squawked.

"What are you doing here?" Zack demanded with weapon drawn.

"Sir" Tseng inclined his head to the president who nodded back, ignoring Zack entirely.

Barret stepped forward in aggravation with gun raised.

"Hey foo'! Ya' better get talkin' or clear off before ya' say goodbye to ya' knee caps"

Tseng turned lazily to give Elena a glance as she reacted to the hollow threat and reached for her gun but stopped under his wordless command.

"We need to speak to the president... alone" Tseng remarked.

"That's not gonna happen" Zack stated adamantly.

"Anything you tell him you tell to us" Tifa supported, stepping up next to Zack.

Tseng had expected that, turning to Rufus he tilted his head questioningly.

"Go ahead" Rufus permitted with a cautionary glance, both knowing which secrets he wasn't to discuss.

"It's about Heideggar and Scarlet, they have... taken things further in your absence."

Rufus creased his expression into a frown.

"I expect those morons are trying to take full advantage of their fifteen minutes of fame, but I can't see them causing any real problems"

"I think you underestimate them sir, they're going after huge materia" Tseng replied bluntly.

Rufus' jaw clenched, "...shit"

"Now you see why I came."

"Wait, what's huge materia?" Tifa asked, lowering her fists in unison with everyone's weapons, recognizing the Turks weren't here for a fight.

Kunsel spoke first, sheathing his claymore.

"It's materia three-hundred and thirty times stronger than regular materia. All materia is crystalized mako that originates from the lifestream and huge materia can be accidentally created under extreme conditions when mako gets highly pressurized over a considerable amount of time."

"Just like the conditions inside the core of a mako reactor" Tifa mumbled, connecting the dots.

"Exactly" Kunsel replied.

Zack turned to give his fellow SOLDIER a 'how the hell do you know all of this?' kind of look.

"I read books..." Kunsel shrugged in reply.

"If by books you mean highly classified Shinra documents..." Tseng interjected dryly, making a mental note to have this guy checked out some time.

"Did you say HUGE materia" Yuffie gaped, grabbing Kunsel by the front of his jacket, never seeming to listen to any conversation unless it involved the word 'materia'.

Kunsel nodded, prying away the fingers creasing his coat.

"Huge materia! Awww right!" Yuffie whooped, practically drooling with excitement at the thought. "I say we do a switcharoony on the ol' plan and head on over to the nearest reactor so that I... we! I mean we! can have that materia all for ourselves!"

"Yo, for once I think I agree with tha' li'l squirt, materia tha' powerful in the hands'a Shinra... tha' don't sit right with me" Barret contributed, receiving a big grin and a thumbs up from Yuffie.

"It does seem a logical idea" Red remarked, still making Elena yelp despite the fact she had already heard him speak back at the Shinra building.

"What exactly do Heideggar and Scarlet plan on doing with the huge materia?" Zack asked, sensing that whatever the answer was it wouldn't be anything good.

Rufus sighed, running his hand through his blonde and somehow always immaculately pristine hair.

"With weapons that potent they would have enough power to drive me out and claim Shinra for themselves, a goal they have long wanted even since my father was around. The old man knew what their motives were and what they would be capable of if they ever got their hands on huge materia, that is why he never allowed them the resources to find it."

"Do you know if Heideggar and Scarlet have found any of the huge materia or where they might be looking?" Kunsel asked Tseng but was answered by Elena, eager to finally be able to contribute to the discussion.

"Shinra have been sending small waves of troops at Fort Condor for days to test their defences, attacks which have only started since the Shinra executives started searching for huge materia."

"Elena..." Tseng and Rude attempted in unison but to no avail.

"The locals have been just about holding out but they won't last for much longer, we were gonna check it out but then reports of Sephiroth being sighted in Junon came up so that's where we're heading next/"

"Elena... you talk too much" Tseng sighed shaking his head.

"Huh?...Oh!... I'm sorry!" Elena yapped, slapping a hand to her mouth with that typical blush, realizing she had given too much away.

"Laney, Laney, Laney... what ever are we gonna do with you" Reno sang teasingly, waltzing lazily into the room with a smirk.

Jessie had quietly snuck back in unnoticed behind the rest of the group, thankful that no one turned to look at her. It wouldn't have been hard for them to guess with her hair dishevelled, lips faintly reddened and shirt ruffed up what had happened. Though if her appearance didn't give her away, the red hand print across Reno's cheek certainly might. Jessie was still trying to make sense of her and Reno's frisk up against the wall, there was no point in denying that it had been the singularly most sexually exciting and intense encounter Jessie had ever experienced. It had even gone as far as Reno skillfully unbuttoning her shirt as they heatedly made out and she had shamefully clawed at his belt buckle greedily. It was when the buckle opened and Reno wrapped a pleasurable hand around the cup of her exposed bra that Jessie regained enough of her senses to give him a slap and escape the situation.

"Reno, where the hell have you been?" Elena demanded, "and stop calling me Laney!"

"Been samplin' some of the local wildlife yo" Reno chuckled slyly, looking towards Jessie who withered behind Tifa.

Rude grunted lightly and indicated to the side of his face, clearly asking Reno the question 'what happened to your face?'.

"I guess the creatures are a little tougher than they look" Reno continued with his sarcastic double meaning. "But they do say the more exotic ones are always the toughest to beat."

Jessie glared at Reno from behind Tifa's shoulder, never had she wanted to wrap her lips around someone's mouth so badly and punch them in it all at the same time.

"I'd hardly call Kalm wildlife exotic.." Zack muttered with a puzzled frown.

"Ahh shuddup" Reno barked making Jessie quietly giggle.

"I'm bored! can we go now!" Yuffie whined.

"I suppose it's next stop Fort Condor then" Rufus commented, mostly towards Zack.

Zack didn't respond, not wanting to do an Elena and give away their plans, though he knew it was pretty obvious to the Turks that with night descending in a few hours and the chance to get some info on Shinra's plans that it was their next stop off point.

"Let's go" Zack finally ordered bluntly.

As he made to leave passed Tseng, the Turk sharply grabbed his arm and leaned in towards the side of Zack, speaking in a hushed tone so only he would hear.

"You keep this up Fair, you're gonna get her killed" he growled.

"And you're really gonna try to pretend you care after what you did?" Zack returned with equal hostility.

Tseng's fingers tensed tightly and Zack looked down at his arm and then back up at Tseng in confusion before angrily shoving off his hand and walking away.

The rest of AVALANCHE followed after their leader, including Rufus who Tseng knew was traveling with them of his own free will.

"We'll be in touch" he nodded to the president as he passed.

The red-head Tseng knew to be called Jessie lingered at the exit to the mine and for a brief moment it looked like she was battling some kind of internal struggle on whether or not to turn around. She never did and she soon left with only one person remaining who lingered even longer still.

"Get going, you don't want to caught at the back again" Tseng urged sternly, watching Aerith hesitantly approaching him.

"Tseng I just... I want to know... wait, what do you mean caught at the back again?" Tseng grimaced as Aerith caught on to his accidental slip up. "You're the one who saved me from the Zolom!"

Tseng didn't respond and Aerith began to well up as she gazed up at him, amazing Tseng that she had any kind of care left for him.

"I just don't understand" Aerith's voice wavered tearfully, "one minute you're helping me, then you hand me over to Shinra, then you get my mom and Marlene to Kalm safely, then you capture us and imprison us again. Then you save me from the Zolom... I don't get it!... it doesn't make sense!... do you care about me or don't you!?" she begged for answers.

Tseng still said nothing and tears slowly started to fall from the flower girls eyes.

"I just don't understand you at all!" Aerith cried loudly, breaking into tears and running off after the rest of her group.

"Gee boss... that's cold, even for you"

"Shut it Reno" Tseng snapped watching as Aerith left distraught, all he ever seemed to do these days was upset the girl and bring her to tears.

Tseng sighed.

He had always been the one to dry them, never to cause them.

* * *

**Chapter 23 Part 2- Necessary battles**

"Hey bright-eyes, I thought you said huge materia was made in reactors... that don't look like no reactor to me", Yuffie squinted at fort Condor looming on the horizon.

"I said it was made in highly pressurized and extreme environments with mako" Kunsel replied. "Just like how regular materia can be created in nature so can huge materia if given the right conditions."

"And what conditions could fort Condor offer?" Tifa queried, slipping off her gloves and flexing her fingers as they marched along.

"There are rumours that say that giant Condor on the top is real, now while I don't know much about Condor's, I'd hazard pretty good guess it has something to do with that" Kunsel ventured in response.

"This craps startin' ta' confuse me..." Barret grumbled massaging his forehead.

Zack who was at the head of the group pulled to a stop as did the rest of them.

"Right, it's getting dark and we're getting close now, the locals in there have been dealing with Shinra attacks for days so they're bound to be pretty jumpy. Everyone keep your weapons down, keep cool and more importantly... keep him out of sight"

Zack indicated to Rufus who appeared irritated at being told what to do but none the less filed in behind Barret's wide frame.

"Ah stuff that! I'm gonna go get me some huge materia!" Yuffie cheered, erratically taking off towards the fort at a sprint.

"Yuffie!" Tifa yelled, trying to grab the Wutai princess by her shorts as she was closest to her.

"Oh boy... here we go" Zack groaned, rolling his eyes and taking off after the teenage tear away.

Chasing after Yuffie up the long grassy slope leading to fort Condor his eyes honed in on a scattering of orange lights appearing up in the tower against the evenings backdrop of half-light.

"Yuffie get back here!" Zack ordered very much like how Lord Godo often would, authoritative but knowing it wasn't going to do any good.

It was when the burning orange lights from the tower began rapidly descending towards them that Zack pushed his speed to the limits.

"Yuffie get down!" Zack cried, diving on to the girl and tackling her onto the already scorched and battle-worn earth to narrowly avoid a barrage of flaming arrows that spiked viciously into the ground around them. Zack laid there for a few seconds, keeping Yuffie trapped from moving, waiting to make sure the archers had stopped before flipping Yuffie over on to her back to face him.

"What the hell are you thinking!?" Zack demanded angrily, staring at the girl pinned beneath his body.

To his surprise Yuffie didn't bombard him with a hail of abuse and insults as he expected.

"..I'm sorry..." she squeaked, panting heavily and blushing beneath him.

"Huh?" Zack huffed, not quite believing his ears.

"I said... I said I'm sorry... you were worried about me..."

Zack just looked at Yuffie in bewilderment, it almost sounded like she was nervous and her cheeks were slowly turning a darker tan pink. To see Yuffie acting so timid and using the word 'sorry' was bizarre to say the least.

"Are you alright?" he asked confusedly as he untangled his body from hers and climbed off Yuffie, offering her his hand as he did so.

Once he was off her it was as if the Yuffie he knew instantly made a reappearance.

"Yeah! I was until some heavy stupid lump jumped on me!" she shouted, swiping at his hand like an angry cat. Cupping her hand to her mouth Yuffie hopped to her feet and proceeded to hail the entire population of fort Condo with abuse just as the others caught up.

"HEY YOU MASSIVE BUNCHA JERKS, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!? YOU'RE GONNA BE IN SOOOOO MUCH TROUBLE"

"Yuffie! Stop that!" Tifa barked, successfully managing to yank the girl back by her cream-colored shorts this time.

"IDENTIFY YOURSELVES" a voice from the tower called.

"ZACK FAIR" Zack yelled back shortly, knowing his name alone would be sufficient to gain them entry into the fort.

Though none of the others bar Kunsel and Red could hear it, there was a string of hushed whispering in the tower. Some voices still cautionate and fearful, others excited and elated. About a minute later the heavy reinforced wooden doors to the fort creaked upon, followed by twenty or so men and women armed with guns and spears. Approaching slowly through a myriad of spiked barricades Zack signalled to the others to keep their weapons down, though he noticed Barret merely settled on pointing his gun arm in a slightly more discreet fashion. Despite having every faith they weren't going to attack, Zack could not help a small inner struggle that ensued within himself as he looked between Aerith and Tifa on opposites sides to him. He felt conflicted, the urge to move closer and shield one of them behind him as equally as the other. Zack grit his teeth, it was wrong of him to be feeling like this, his first and only instinct should be protect Aerith first, he had committed to her, he had always been committed to her and she needed his protection more than Tifa... and yet here he was... torn.

"Cloud... if this is you buddy... boy you had it rough" Zack whispered out into the open sky. These feelings he was having Zack knew did not all belong to him and now it dawned on him that in Cloud's last breath, when he had fought to call out Tifa's name, he was asking more from Zack than just to tell Tifa how he felt. In Cloud's last moments he was asking him to protect Tifa, to keep her safe and fulfil what Cloud had always seen as his duty.

While his head whirred away Tifa's eyes shifted to catch him staring at her, something he had tried so hard to avoid over the last few days. Zack quickly looked away and just like always Tifa's face broke into a hurt expression as if he had just slapped her. This had to stop, tonight he would speak to her and somehow he would find the right words to sort it all out, at this moment he needed to focus on the here and now.

"Well I'll be... it is him... pleasure to finally meet the legendary Zack Fair"

A medium built man with cropped white hair and pale skin which stood out in stark contrast to the dark brown armour all the troops wore, stepped across the void with his hand extended as both parties pulled to a distanced halt.

"Names Killian."

Zack took the man's hand, catching the glow in his eyes.

"Good to meet you Killian, third or second?"

"Second."

"Who's the commander around here?" Zack asked, scanning the crowd behind the man.

"You're looking at him" Killian replied, not seeming in the least bit offended but Zack apologized anyway. No wonder the fort had been struggling to hold out against even simple Shinra reconnaissance units with only a second being their most experienced leader, or perhaps Zack just wasn't giving this guy enough credit.

"Sorry. So I'm guessing you're one of the recent disbands from the Shinra army?"

"No funnily enough" Killian returned, analysing Zack's party as equally as Zack was scanning his. "Left four years ago after you and... Sephiroth" the man dropped his voice to a whisper when speaking the name "...disappeared. Shinra seemed to just lose all honour and value after that"

"You whispered his name, why? He been around here?" Zack questioned in a hushed voice, keeping his eyes fixed on Killian's for his reaction.

"No, but we started having a load of our scouts never return. Then one day one crawled back half dead, he swears he saw... well you get it... ever since then people have been pretty spooked by it so we don't talk about it."

Zack nodded in understanding, it was a relief that at least Sephiroth hadn't approached the fort itself and wasn't showing any interest in the huge materia.

"Killian?"

Zack turned to see Kunsel trudging up the slope with a big grin on his face.

"Kunsel Haringer... well ain't that a sight for crazy glowing eyes"

Both SOLDIER's exchanged a friendly grasp of the shoulder, beaming like typical blast from the past reunions often did.

"Me and Killian were in the same squad for two seasons" Kunsel explained to Zack.

"That's right, smartest bugger I ever did meet" Killian thumbed Kunsel in the chest. "Let's say we head inside, can't be too careful with these woods surrounding us."

"We're a pretty big group, you sure you got the room?" Zack inclined his head back to his group making their way up the slope.

"Sadly yes, we've had a number of casualties who, let's put it this way, won't be needing their bunks anymore. Besides, having you here is priceless, people just seeing the legendary general is going to boost morale no end."

"Errr... legendary general?" Zack asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Well after...'he', went off the rails the title kinda passed to you, I think most people have completely forgotten you were only second in command. Didn't you know that's what people have been calling you?"

Zack just stood feeling slightly awkward and bewildered, if he knew making a television appearance was going to make such a huge impact his younger glory-hunter self would have hopped on the telly years ago. Everyone filed passed him into fort Condor as Killian waved them all in but Zack just stood there on the spot.

"Everything alright Zack?" Tifa asked on her way passed.

"... yeah yeah, fine thanks. Oh Teef... I errr... need to speak to you later ok?"

"Sure" the martial artists smiled.

"Yuffie... be nice" Zack urged as the young ninja stalked passed with a devious expression that said she was clearly hatching some scheme. Yuffie just poked her tongue out and danced away through the gate.

"Want me to watch her?" Red asked walking by.

"Please" Zack replied, grinning as Barret stomped by also grumbling angrily to himself.

"... trustin' another damn SOLDIER... god damn punks are everywhere..."

"Come on B! Lighten up!" Jessie chirped taking him by the gun arm and ushering him through the gate.

"Hey you" Zack called affectionately, catching Aerith's hand as she walked by, she had seemed down the entire walk from the mines and it wasn't hard to guess it was because of Tseng.

"Hey you" Aerith breathed back, glowing as Zack wrapped his arms around her waist and planted a long lingered kiss to her forehead, catching the delicious scent of her hair.

"I'll see you tonight yeah?" Zack offered, she nodded cheerily and then left to enter the fort.

Finally Rufus was the last one remaining with him outside of the gate. Zack spoke plainly, filing in next to Rufus.

"Stay close to me and don't say anything, this is gonna be hard enough to explain without you making any smart comments."

"Would I do such a thing?" Rufus smirked, though he was anything but amused.

* * *

**Chapter 23 Part 3- Necessary battles**

"Well I think we should help" Jessie expressed her position on the matter.

After talking with Killian and a few other head members of the fort for a number of hours, AVALANCHE had requested a moment alone to talk things over. As it turns out neither Killian nor any of the other fort inhabitants had even heard of huge materia, let alone that they were defending it. All they knew was that Shinra wanted something and they had a chance to get in their way and make a stand in an area that offered them a strategic advantage against Shinra's numbers.

"I think Jessie's right, let's help them" Aerith agreed, turning to Zack "these are good people, I can tell, we can't leave them to fight Shinra alone."

"Not that they'll be able to once Shinra sends a real attack" Kunsel murmured.

"With our help they might just be able to" Tifa returned.

"Yeah what boobs said..."

"Don't call me that."

"... if we help out then it's only fair that we get to keep the huge materia in return!" Yuffie stated, inappropriately prodding Tifa in her thusly given nickname and receiving a slap to the back of her hand from the fighter in return.

"Any plan tha' involves beatin' up a load'a Shinra scum is a plan I'm in on" Barret rumbled, thumping his real arm against a nearby wall enthusiastically.

"Ok Red, looks like the final votes on you buddy" Zack turned to their feline companion.

"I'm in, though I think the longer we stay the greater danger Rufus is in."

Killian and the leaders of fort Condor demanded that if Rufus Shinra was to stay unharmed under Zack's insistence, that he was to be kept under lock and armed guard for the duration of the stay.

"I'll go check on him later" Red added, "make sure the guards don't take the opportunity to exact some personal revenge against him."

"That's settled then, we all agree we want to help" Zack concluded, "only problem is we can't be here for longer than a day or we lose Sephiroth's trail on the new continent. Shinra have been pinning this fort down for weeks, they're hardly gonna attack tomorrow simply because it's convenient for us."

"Not necessarily" Kunsel remarked deep in thought as everyone turned to the SOLDIER. "We slash the number of guards patrolling the tower overnight, this place is being watched by Shinra spies twenty-four seven, they'll notice. We make them think we've started getting lazy and they'll seize the opportunity to launch an all in attack by morning..."

"And that's when the great ninja warrior princess Yuffie will kick their butts!" Yuffie yelled eagerly, launching a high kick into thin air.

"That's brilliant Kunsel" Zack clapped his friend on the back impressed, "I'm gonna go speak with Killian and go over what resources we have at our disposal. Everyone prepare for tomorrow and be sure to bring something to the table, then get to bed... it's gonna be a long day tomorrow"

With a full round of nods AVALANCHE split off into separate groups to ready themselves and the fort for the upcoming fight.

* * *

**Chapter 23 Part 4- Necessary battles**

By the time Zack had planned and organized with Killian and the troops of fort Condor a strategy to beat Shinra it was closing on three in the morning. As per Kunsel's idea the sentry had been dismissed, leaving only the scantest number of guards to keep watch. The only other person of their group that Zack knew was still awake was Jessie, she had spent the last six hours working on Condor's siege machines along with crafting an array of land mines with the help of some eager like-minded volunteers.

"Hey Jess, you aren't gonna be much use to us if you don't get some rest" Zack spoke to the red heads legs which poked out from under some large wooden contraption that Zack would hazard a guess was some sort of boulder launcher.

"Just a while longer" Jessie insisted, sliding out from under the machine with a wide tired grin, looking like big kid in a candy store. "You sound just like Teef."

"Speaking of Tifa, you seen her around?" Zack asked, half expecting the woman had gone to bed.

"Ummmm.. I think she said she was going to take one last look from the top of the tower" Jessie ventured, sliding the black goggles from the hairline of her fringe back over her eyes and sliding away again.

Wearily ascending the array of ladders and according to Killian, the three-hundred and sixty-two steps that lead to the top of the tower, Zack walked out onto the open sky rooftop. Jessie was right, Tifa was sat with her legs dangling over the ledge just gazing out into the dark and semi-clouded night sky.

"Got room for one more?" Zack called peacefully as not to startle her, tapping on the base of the large metal plinth that the giant inanimate Condor stood upon.

Tifa didn't reply and Zack could see her swiping away at her eyes as he approached. Taking a seat beside her and hanging his legs over the drop next to her Zack looked out into the horizon. From way up here they could see Junon and beyond that the ocean which still sparkled under the overcast glow of the moon. Behind them stood the mountains, shimmering with a tint of the darkest blue, it all looked... beautiful.

Zack didn't speak and he didn't need to look at Tifa to see she had been crying. Instead he looked down and laid his palm over her for once bare hand that was propping her up.

"I'm sorry..." Zack whispered, his voice catching as if it hadn't been used in years.

Tifa breathed deeply as she gently pressed her fingers into the palm of his hand, appreciating the contact.

"It's just sometimes... you remind me so much of Cloud"

Zack closed his eyes, battling with exactly where to begin and deciding on just coming out and saying it.

"It's because sometimes I feel like him..."

Tifa turned sharply to look directly at him, eyes still damp and slightly red.

"Sometimes I have these thoughts and feelings that don't feel like they belong to me. I've even had dreams I can't explain, dreams about sitting with you at a water tower, or watching a bridge collapse with you on it... feeling so much fear as you fell..." Zack's voice trailed off.

"What are you saying?" Tifa's voice shook close to inaudible as she turned her entire body to face him.

"I don't know what I'm saying!" Zack broke, being relentlessly pummelled by an inner desire to just grab Tifa's face to his.

A silence hung over them as both parties fought to compose themselves. Tifa's hand had replaced his and now clutched on to his fingers trembling ever so slightly. Zack just looked away, this contact, this conversation, these feelings he couldn't control, they all felt like he was betraying Aerith.

"Do you want me to leave?" Tifa choked, tears falling down her cheeks.

Zack turned to fully face her as she did to him, shocked and angry at himself that this was what he was making Tifa think and feel.

"No! Never say that Teef! I don't want you to go anywhere.. I... care about you", care had only very closely been replaced for the word love as Cloud still desperately wanted to tell her. "Unless... that's what you want?" Zack finished, feeling close to breaking himself.

Tifa shook her head sending a glimmer of tears cascading into her lap.

"The only time I don't feel so empty and alone... is when I'm near you" Tifa sobbed, looking so small and isolated as she hugged an arm across herself.

Forsaking all further thoughts and feelings Zack pulled Tifa to his chest and wrapped his arms around her bare shivering goosebumps covered shoulders. No matter what happened, Tifa was still his friend and that meant he wasn't going to continue being the source of her pain by trying to keep a cold distance from her. Tifa pressed her face desperately to his body as she hooked her arms through his and clutched at the back of his shoulders tightly. Then Zack felt her entire body relax as if a long-awaited relief had finally washed over her. They stayed holding one another for many minutes and gradually Zack's senses began to fog as his hand combed down the back of Tifa's silky brown waist length hair. By the time Tifa spoke Zack was completely lost in another world, it felt like he was a spectator watching himself embracing her from a far off distance and Tifa sensed the change.

"... Cloud" she mumbled into his shoulder with so much hope and desire as an indescribable feeling radiated from him.

"Tifa..."

Tifa sobbed wildly and clung to him even tighter, he even sounded like Cloud. "I've missed you"

"I'm here now."

"Where? Where are you?"

"Close... always close."

"I want to find you"

"... you can."

Tifa pulled away to stare into Zack's face with desperate longing for what he was saying to be true. It took Tifa's breath away, staring at Zack a scant few inches away from his face that was half cast in shadow and the light of the moon, she could only see Cloud. Cloud's eyes, his nose, his jaw, his paler than Zack's complexion... even the color of his silly blonde spikes that always made her giggle as a small girl.

"I can?" Tifa silently begged, lightly brushing a hand across Cloud's cheek, bursting with so much raw emotion to see him again.

Cloud nodded, reciprocating her action and making Tifa's eyes close in total bliss that she never wanted to end.

"You can, but not now... soon" Cloud hushed with so much love and affection as beads of liquid joy fell from Tifa's wide hopeful eyes.

"Ok" Tifa glowed, her voice sighing with content as she nuzzled her face against Cloud's hand caressing her cheek, kissing the palm of his hand. Rising up to him Tifa drowned for one last moment in Cloud's presence and she only had to move a few inches to press her lips softly to his. The heavenly contact lingered for a moment in one world-changing, soul mending and completely perfect kiss... and then it was gone.

Zack broke away and climbed hurriedly to his feet with an alarmed look on his face.

"You can't do that! I'm with Aerith now!" Zack yelled angrily but Tifa knew he wasn't aiming his words just at her.

"Zack I'm sorry!" Tifa whimpered clambering to her feet also as Zack stormed away for the stairs.

Her words brought him to a halt and with his back turned to her Zack dropped his head back and sighed deeply out into the night sky, letting his erratic and panicked response escape.

"No..." he insisted sternly, turning his head halfway to the side to look at her in the peripheral of his vision, "never be sorry Teef... never feel like you have to hide from me... promise me you won't."

"... I promise" Tifa replied emotionally and with that Zack left with his head in just as equal a mess as hers.

* * *

**Chapter 23 Part 5- Necessary battles**

By the time Zack reached the dorms he was completely exhausted, not all of which was physical. There was one place he needed to be right now, the one place where he truly felt like himself, beside the one person who grounded him to reality.

Aerith lay on her side sleeping peacefully and Zack found himself just watching her for as many minutes as the overwhelming fatigue would allow. Climbing in next to her he didn't even have the energy to remove his boots as his body simply surrendered for its urgently needed contact.

Aerith stirred at his arrival and turned over sleepily to come nose to nose with her lover. Aerith's expression gently broke into a tired smile, pleased to see him.

"Hey you" she whispered, voice cracking slightly from hours of no use.

"Hey you" Zack replied back softly.

Gazing closely into each other's eyes their brows met one another entirely of their own accord and a light kiss was exchanged between the pair. Transitioning straight into an intimate hug Zack wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and held Aerith close and yet was still unable to get himself as physically close to her as he would like as even the material of Aerith's bed time t-shirt felt like a barrier between them. His hands slipped up the back of her top to grasp at the bare velvety soft skin, needing to feel her beneath his hands and noticing all the new muscle that traveling and fighting had built her since the first time he held her this way.

Aerith cherished his hold and welcomed the feel of his loving and slightly coarse hands on her back that slowly pushed up her t-shirt until it sat just beneath her breasts.

"Someone needed a hug" she giggled affectionately, kissing the side of his ear. "Everything alright?"

Zack wanted to say yes but he didn't really know, everything just seemed so damn confusing these days and so he responded with the only thing he was sure of anymore as he buried his face into the crook of Aerith's neck and her luscious brown hair.

"Just know that no matter what happens... I love you."


	24. Fight and flight

**Chapter 24 Part 1- Fight and flight**

_... I was in love once..._

"Really?... with who?"

_... I don't remember_

"..how could you forget?..."

_It's easier than you might think..._

"... I would never forget Aerith"

_And Tifa?_

"... that's different"

_Keep telling yourself that..._

"Are you Jenova?"

_... I am whatever you make me_

"..."

_Time to wake up_

"...why?"

_.. fights about to start_

"Oh..."

_Go... finish it quick... you need to follow Sephiroth_

Zack returned to the land of the living and was first greeted by a load of hustle and bustle as a great many people scurried eagerly about the dorm but not in any obvious panic. His second greeting was by far the more welcome as Zack opened his eyes to the most beautiful woman he had ever or would ever meet. Aerith sat perched upright beside him, just staring at him with a warm smile that shone even brighter as he awoke. She had been absently playing with a spike of his hair, the hand of which now moved to delicately embrace the side of his face while she leaned down to give him a greeting kiss. Zack pondered how it was possible for someones mouth to taste so good without the aid of some sort of lip product. It was as if every ounce of moisture in Aerith's body was laced with sugar, even during their night of passionate sex, he had tasted that flavor when his tongue and mouth had explored her sweat-lined body. It was a taste he could never go without again, a taste that perhaps existed to match her personality and nature, or perhaps tasting sweet was just another one of the ways that the ancients were different to humans.

It was only after his mind had finished pondering on how Aerith tasted that Zack realized he had stolen what was intended to be a short morning peck into a long passionate exchange. Aerith broke off breathlessly, gazing at him almost star-struck with so much tender love and affection making Zack mindlessly voice the one thing currently on his mind.

"You taste good"

Aerith giggled cheerfully and dropped him another quick kiss which this time he refrained from taking advantage off. His words had her looking down at him bashfully with her tongue between her teeth, a give away he had come to learn that Aerith did when she was aroused. It was because he had told her the exact same thing during their night together in Kalm and now they were sharing in the erotic recollection with one another.

"You slept well" Aerith spoke softly, never taking her eyes of his.

Zack looked around the fairly noisy dorm, people were hurrying to and fro and none of the other bunks seemed occupied.

"Am I the last person awake!?" Zack cried, ready to leap out on the double.

"Shhhhh" Aerith hushed, pressing a hand lightly to his chest to keep him from getting up. "You've been pushing it so hard for weeks Zack and for once you were finally sleeping peacefully, it was nice... I didn't want to wake you"

Zack conceded to relaxing back down, he did feel refreshed, he was also vaguely aware that his boots were no longer on his feet as well. Aerith must have removed them while he was sleeping along with the metal pauldrons on his shoulders and the straps over his dark blue sleeveless jumper.

"If I'd of slept any longer would I have woken up naked?" Zack laughed, putting his arm across Aerith's lap to hold her legs that dangled over the side of the bed.

"Yeah you caught me" Aerith chuckled.

Zack wanted to stay like this forever, caught in this suspended dimension of reality people often found themselves in when they had just awoken and their brains had not yet fully registered. Where the problems of the world had not yet been remembered and all that existed was the here and now, where there was only Aerith and the bond between the two of them. But Zack had wanted many things in life that he couldn't have and the serenity soon broke as a loud heavy bell rang frantically throughout the entirety of fort Condor.

A number of individuals upon hearing the alarm broke into panicked shouts and some sprinted from the room in a rush. Zack knew the alarm signaled that Shinra troops were on the move and they would have a couple of hours before they arrived. Regardless Zack still bolted out of bed and descended into his boots in one smooth motion.

"They're here" Zack spoke above the alarm while Aerith helped him with his gear, even making an attempt to pick his mythril saber off the floor and not succeeding terribly well. "Remember what I said Aerith, there are gonna be a lot of injured people needing your help afterwards".

"I understand" Aerith nodded but not looking entirely convincing.

"I mean it baby, I want you to stay outta this, save your strength for later"

Aerith shivered joyfully, she had never been called that before and it made her insides do happy cartwheels.

"Are you really going to let Jessie and Yuffie fight?", Aerith was nearly having to shout to be heard above the bell which excessively persisted to ring despite the fact that every soul in fort Condor was already on full alert. Zack too was concerned about the two youngest and more inexperienced members of their group being caught in a war, knowing that all the others were more than capable of handling their own.

"Jessie will be manning the siege equipment and shouldn't be too caught in the thick of it. Yuffie I'm concerned about to, that's why I'm making her stick with me".

"She's so young, too young to see things like this" Aerith urged, fussing over Zack's outfit.

"I think Yuffie has seen a lot more than we give her credit for, she's a good fighter... I'll keep her safe"

"And who's gonna look after you?" Aerith asked, worriedly picking at the fabric of his top.

The answer came naturally, his silent guardian who had laid down his own life for him and who interfered on the odd occasion.

"Cloud will" Zack grinned with a tinge of sadness.

"Cloud will" Aerith repeated, nodding softly with gentle understanding in her voice.

Tip-toeing she placed an adoring kiss to the scarred side of his cheek and greedily he tried to steal a kiss to her lips but Aerith ducked away behind him and shoved him off towards the door with a playful giggle.

"That'll be waiting for you when you get back, now go get em tiger!"

With a wide smirk Zack threw his flower girl a thumbs up and dashed out the door. If ever a man had more motivation to return safely from a battle than that, then Zack could imagine said man capable of toppling entire armies by himself.

* * *

**Chapter 24 Part 2- Fight and flight**

Jessie wished she had listened to Tifa and Zack's advice but as was always her way with technology and gizmo's she just couldn't resist adding that extra bit here, improving that function there or fixing that slight inefficient fault. By the time she got to bed it felt like her head had barely hit the pillow before some over eager moron was beating the crap out of a bell.

The only other AVALANCHE members among the sea of strangers in the dorm she was in were Kunsel and Barret. The only reason she knew that was because Jessie could still hear people grumbling about some 'big oaf snoring louder than a Shinra bombing raid' and because Kunsel was now standing over her with a big grin on his face.

"I won't lie to ya Jess, you look like crap" Kunsel chuckled with his typical arms folded stance.

"... ever heard of a white lie?" she croaked groggily, covering one hand over her eyes to block out the brightly lit room and the other over an ear for the piercing alarm.

"I think you should stay in bed, a battlefield is no place to be when you're not all with it"

"I'm fine" Jessie insisted, throwing back the blankets and climbing to her feet, feeling revolting still in yesterdays clothes.

"Your call" Kunsel shrugged, "at least take this then"

He held out a small clear vial filled with purplish liquid which Jessie took and held up to the light.

"What is it?" Jessie frowned, squinting to focus tired eyes.

"Parafilmtax or what SOLDIER call 'burn', it was designed to stimulate mako in the body into hyper-activity, give SOLDIER's an extra kick if and when needed. Then one day some crazy bastard without enhancements took a swig and discovered it works on the natural adrenal system as well"

"Couldn't you have just said it's adrenaline?" Jessie smirked.

"I could, but I wouldn't have sounded as much of a smart git that way"

Popping the lid Jessie grimaced at the potent smell it was giving of, potent usually meant dangerous and now she felt apprehensive.

"If this kills me Kunsel... I'm haunting you"

"Ha, be my guest, do you really not think I have an exorcist among my list of contacts?... nah you'll be fine, you'll get a boost for a few hours and then you'll crash like a wet sardine once you slow down"

"... bottoms up then... I guess"

Guessing that the flavor was not going to be delicious cherry, Jessie threw the liquid down quickly and instantly went into a coughing fit as her throat was set ablaze.

"... HOLY... MINERVA... KUN...SEL... THIS... REA...LLY..."

"Burns?" Kunsel finished for her with a laugh, "there's a reason it got its name"

Despite the horrific taste barely ten seconds later Jessie's body felt like it was a city having its Christmas lights all switched on in one go. It was a strange feeling to be able to physically feel your pupils widen and she could well imagine the incredible buzz that 'burn' was giving her could become addictive.

"LETS GO!" Jessie shrieked, accidentally being far louder than she had intended and clamping a hand to her mouth as various random people turned to stare at her.

"After you" Kunsel chortled as Jessie dashed for the door. Grabbing the girls boots and the electro-mag rod Kunsel followed after her shaking his head in amusement. Perhaps he should have only given a woman Jessie's size half the vial...

* * *

**Chapter 24 Part 3- Fight and flight**

Marching through the twisting, winding corridors and floors of fort Condor, Zack was bombarded by ecstatic wide-eyed greetings the entire way from the inexperienced troops of fort Condor and respectful nods from the more composed experienced ones. Though one thing both groups did the same was salute him every few steps with the short verbal greeting of "general" which Zack nodded in polite response to.

Walk, "general", nod... walk "general" nod... now he knew why Sephiroth was always so keen to stow away in his office while stationed at the Shinra barracks. Zack maintained a stern regal appearance the entire time though it was far from who he was and felt completely unnatural, but there was no room anymore for his younger self's goofy mess about attitude, people relied on him now and people looked to him for guidance and leadership. He would have to stick it out and play along with the unmerited title, at least until he was with AVALANCHE again where he could be himself.

Zack was thankful when the first person he ran into was Killian issuing a string of orders to a collection of faces Zack vaguely remember from last nights meeting. At least now with Killian the occasional "general" would be replaced for "commander".

"How is preparation going?" Zack questioned, falling straight into his tactical SOLDIER frame of mind as Killian broke away from his current task to march alongside him.

"Everyone's divided into their assigned groups under each of your teams leadership. Jessie and the engineers are down in the loading bay ready to deploy last-minute to keep Shinra clueless of our defenses. Tifa and your friend... errr..."

"Red" Zack prompted.

"Yeah..." Killian mumbled, still in disbelief like the rest of fort Condor at the talking animal, "they're camouflaging up with the rest of the melee skirmishers"

Zack nodded, Tifa and Red's squad were to play a pivotal role in the upcoming fight, stay quiet, stay hidden, hit them hard and fast before Shinra even knew they were there and then retreat again for another surprise attack.

"And Kunsel?" Zack continued.

"Preparing the left battalion with Galen"

Galen was once a veteran navy admiral back when Mideel still had its own fleet, when the iron fist of Shinra spread throughout Gaia, Mideel fell victim to its control and had its once glorious security forces disbanded, leaving Galen with as much cause to hate Shinra as most. Granted this was no sea based fight but a military mind was a military mind and they were hardly in a position to be picky.

"I guess that leaves me, you and Yuffie leading the right battalion" Zack grinned placing an encouraging hand on Killian's shoulder while his other hand was once again snatched by some eager youth followed by that same brief "general".

"And finally how about the firing squad?"

Zack didn't really need to ask that question as he could already hear from the booming bellowing voice on the floor below that they were heading towards that Barret was taking his leadership role with a very different approach. Sliding down the ladder Zack grinned at the sight of rows of cowering marksmen armed with rifles, guns and basically anything that fired a shot except the archers who would remain in tower.

"DEAR CHRIST! ARE YA' FUCKIN' KIDDIN' ME!? GET YA' DAMN SAFETY SWITCHED ON BEFORE YA' START SHOOTIN' YA' SELVES BEFORE YA' EVEN MAKE IT OUT THE DAMN DOOR!"

At least none of Barret's squad were at risk of seizing up when the time came to fight, facing the Shinra army was probably sounding quite appealing to most of them right now.

"NO! NO! NO! DON'T HOLD A FOURTY-SEVEN LIKE THA'! YA'LL BLOW YA' DAMN ARM OFF!"

Zack patted Barret on the back as he passed by with a chuckle.

"Yooo Porcupine! may tha' best team win!"Barret called after Zack as he whirled around, getting louder as they walked away. "DON'T BE TOO BUTT-HURT WHEN WE WIPE THA' FLOOR WITH SHINRA BEFORE YA' EVEN GET'A CHANCE TA' PLAY!"

A ripple of humorous and confident mumbles spread throughout the firing squad, all noticeably bolstered by Barret's confidence. Who'd of ever thought it? that Barret Wallace could be leadership material for a battalion of troops.

"So exactly how much of the Shinra army do you think we'll face out there today?" Killian asked as they made their way to join the right battalion.

"Only a fraction, but enough to buy this place a few more weeks if we win" Zack replied, staring at the white-haired second to see if he was asking out of fear. Killian's eyes looked nothing but confident and focused which was a great relief. "I reckon they'll deploy standard Shinra assault tactics, which means the bulk of the attack will be lead by regular troopers supported by five or six units of thirds and two or three units of seconds... at a guess"

Killian nodded in understanding of his words and that this was going to be no easy fight. Arriving at the ground floor Zack and Killian rounded the corner into the gateway chamber to the sound of heavy panting and grunts.

"YOU'LL THINK TWICE NOW BEFORE YOU GO CALLING SOMEONE A KID, WON'T YOU?... HEY! WHO SAID YOU COULD STOP!"

The sight of Yuffie barking orders and poking the toe of her boot into the side of a man collapsed breathlessly on the floor while the rest of the troops painfully forced out push ups was baffling.

"Yuffie what are you doing?" Zack exhaled signalling the men to stop.

"Oh hey spikey! I'm teaching these minions a lesson, they didn't believe me at first when I told them I-i-i-i was their leader" Yuffie drooled out the 'I' proudly as she placed a conquering foot on another resting soldier's back.

"You should have seen their faces when I told them who I was" Yuffie giggled and Zack raised an eyebrow, "...ok and I might have mentioned I was with you to"

"Yuffie we need these men ready to fight, not ready to collapse" Zack sighed.

"Pffff they're fiiiinnneeeee... see" Yuffie nudged one of them with the side of her shoe who rolled over limply like a plate of jelly.

"I can't feel my arms" a young voice groaned above the panting somewhere towards the back.

"WHO SAID THAT!?... SHOW YOURSELF!... DROP AND GIVE ME..."

"Yuffie..." Zack exasperated, tugging the mini Barret back by her collar before she could cripple another soldier. "Listen, I want you by my side the entire time ok? No running off, you move where I move"

"Is it because you need me to protect your little fluffy head?" Yuffie squinted on the verge of being insulted.

"... yes Yuffie" he surrendered, "because I need your protection"

* * *

**Chapter 24 Part 4- Fight and flight**

Killian was right, morals had slipped far in Shinra as the first force to meet them on the slope were a unit of Shinra troopers being sent as cannon fodder. From their position on the hill surrounded in barricades and tall rocky walls they were well disguised and Zack could tell Shinra were using the lesser troops to flush out any ambushes and gain some insight on their forces based on the number that returned alive. They were more than capable of demolishing the force but if they massacred the entire squad then Shinra would approach with extra caution or pull back all together, neither of which he could afford to happen. Breaking off a third of the battalion he ordered a sloppy attack and commanded the rest to keep hidden while they played along with Shinra's little game of cat and mouse.

The mythril saber cut through the air leaving a trail of shimmering blue light in its wake as Zack slashed through trooper after trooper as gunfire filled the air. With surprising tact and speed Yuffie kept pace with his attacks wielding the four-point shuriken with a skill that was unnatural for a girl of sixteen. Before long Zack found himself falling into synch with the Wutai princess as they worked in close unison to dwindle the attacking force. Ducking and weaving Zack kept his attacks high while Yuffie danced around him keeping crouched low, creating a formidable pair that had to reign itself in less they demonstrate too much capability to a throw away squad sent to test the waters.

Easing off it didn't take long for what remained of the recon unit to retreat and with the help of Yuffie they had to stop a number of over eager members of the right battalion from chasing down the fleeing troopers to finish them off.

"You did good" Zack praised Yuffie with a nudge to the arm as they climbed back up the slope to re-join the rest of the battalion.

"Hey! don't sound so surprised!" she panted with a grin, faintly out of breathe but still with plenty of energy and fight left in her.

"Seems like a lot of trouble just for a bit of materia to me, you sure your not fighting this battle for something more than that?" Zack pointed out, looking to see if he could make the girl open up.

"...maybe" Yuffie mumbled.

It was something at least.

"Killian!" Zack called as they regrouped with their team, "it's done, get word to Jessie to roll out the siege and the others to take positions... Shinra's about to send everything they've got"

* * *

**Chapter 24 Part 5- Fight and flight**

The battlefield had erupted into organized chaos, from way up on the top of the slope Jessie and the engineers could see everything. Kunsel and Garlen's battalion held fast on the left side and Zack, Yuffie's and Killian's were locked in battle on the right, though they were both slowly getting pushed back by Shinra's overwhelming numbers they had sent against them. The men and woman around Jessie looked to her urgently, anxious to help out but she knew the time wasn't right. Luckily the adrenaline rush Kunsel had given her earlier had evened out and she was no longer bouncing of the walls like Yuffie anymore.

"Orders captain!?" one of them eventually called out when Shinra sent in a unit of thirds against the two fighting teams and the skirmish started taking a further turn for the worse.

Jessie smirked, it was so strange being called captain. "Call me Jessie" she smiled looking more relaxed than she felt as she was trying to keep everyone calm.

"Ok... what do we do captain Jessie!? they need our help down there!"

"No just call me... never mind. If we move too soon we'll ruin the entire plan, see look"

Jessie pointed down to what looked liked a moving landscape of rocks and bushes, it was Tifa and Red's unit stalking into position to flank around the back of Shinra's forces. The skirmishers made it into position and swept through the rear of Shinra's troops like a vicious plague and dropping rows of troopers with a barrage of close quarter attacks that looked like a wave crashing over land. Jessie could swear she could almost hear Tifa's brutal punches from here and a few scattered abnormally panicked cries were probably being caused by the fearsome sight of Red. The surprise ambush slowly petered out in strength and soon the backlines of Shinra reorganized themselves to meet the new threat. By the time they reinforced their lines the skirmishers skillfully broke away and disappeared back into the surrounding environment, their damage already done.

Shaken by the phantom assault the enemy forces began to waver and a smart Shinra would have retreated at this point but they committed to the fight and sent in more troopers along with enhanced thirds and a unit of seconds.

"Right! now we go!" Jessie called and the equipment began to roll out in an instant down the slope to their immaculately planned locations. Four boulder launchers and six catapults precisely placed was going to ruin Shinra's day to no end if they pulled this off right. As per the plan Zack and Kunsel's teams ordered a retreat and pulled back up the hill with the enemy in close pursuit believing them on the run.

While the troopers didn't cause much trouble, it was the thirds and seconds with their enhanced speed that was causing them the biggest problem and so entered the next part of the plan. Barret and the firing squads came out from hiding among the surrounding rocks and unleashed a storm of bullets and explosives to give the battalions their much-needed time to withdraw from the mako enhanced attackers. Sections of the Shinra formations crumbled away under the devastating fire and reformed, slowly becoming smaller in size but becoming no less overwhelming. A unit of quick reacting seconds responded to the threat and bounded unnaturally up the rocks to cut down the gunners.

"That's not good!" Jessie panicked as their next move was forced much earlier than they had hoped. Barret's squad was forced to pull away through the rock covered valley at their backs, taking a distinctly direct approach through the area with the enhanced SOLDIER's fast on their heels. A string of loud bangs rocked the slopes of fort Condor as Shinra fell for the reckless chase and the valley laced with land mines went up in a chain of explosions.

"HOOOH YEAH!" Jessie couldn't resist cheering for her love of explosives. "Look's like were up!" Jessie barked composing herself.

With the entire force of fort Condor on the retreat up the slope Shinra ordered an all in and committed what was left of their forces to one final attack. The right battalion sneaked past the siege equipment and among the mass she caught Zack's eye that gave her a quick wink as he hung tight to Yuffie's hand pulling her up the slope. Once the last of their troops were out of the way Jessie peaked from behind her concealed location to see Shinra approaching fast on their tracks. Among the chasing figures were a number of super quick blurs that Jessie knew were enhanced thirds and seconds, it was quite a fearsome sight to see so many SOLDIER moving in one group at such alarming speed. It was like a pack of hungry wolves zig-zagging mercilessly towards its prey and now she was seeing first-hand why a mere power energy company had turned into the shadow that conquered the world.

Waiting for longer than she dared Jessie gave the signal to unleash everything she had spent all night working on.

"FIRE"

While the catapults made decent work of damaging and disorganizing the enemies back lines it was the boulder launchers to the front lines that did the most damage. While Shinra were trained relentlessly to stand their ground against the enemy, that enemy didn't usually come in the form of fifty tonnes of thundering rock that had gathered an alarming speed down the slope.

Troopers had very little chance of escape and the thirds didn't fair too well either, but the seconds were jumping and even in some cases smashing through the incoming wave of stone with a strength that Zack had warned them capable of.

What was left of Shinra's force after Jessie's move was still frightening but the odds were now on a far more even footing. The final plan had been executed and their last hand played, now it was an all out fight to the end. The battalions lead by Kunsel and Zack re-engaged once more, using the high ground to full effect to greet their enemy. Tifa and Red's force joined the fray from the side and Barret's firing squad unloaded what was left of their ammunition.

With the engineers work now done Jessie grabbed the her electro-mag rod and it sparked to life. Zack would kill her for this but there was no way she was gonna sit back and watch her friends fight from the sidelines.

* * *

**Chapter 24 Part 6- Fight and flight**

Among the faces of the left battalion there was a predominant look of satisfaction and almost joy as the Shinra they all so despised slowly started losing ground. Kunsel didn't share in their delight, it felt like barely yesterday he was one of these SOLDIER's and how easily it could have been him on the opposite side of this battle. He did what he had to do but he took no pleasure in it but nor did he take any pity, Shinra were the aggressors here, fighting to steal materia that would further consolidate its power and be responsible for countless more deaths.

Yet even now he still believed it, that SOLDIER could once again me more than this, that they could be free of the Shinra dictators and restore the honor that SOLDIER once had. That hope was the reason he was fighting, it was the thought that he clung to and Kunsel had to laugh at the irony of it, here he was fighting SOLDIER so that he could save SOLDIER, at least that was the plan.

Another second fell easily under his claymore, while Kunsel was technically only a second himself, he was for all intents and purposes skilled and enhanced to that of a first. Cutting a path through the battle with haste and barrier activated, Kunsel pushed the limits of his magic and the mako in his veins to distance himself from Galen and his men. By the time Kunsel cut to the heart of the enemy the claymore was struggling to even make its way through standard trooper armor. Discarding the now blunt weapon he took to beating down his opponents with fists while dodging the furry of blades he was being bombarded with as Shinra troops surrounded him.

Letting them close in on him he became encircled and slowly the number of painful but non-fatal cuts that landed started to increase. Finally presented with the optimal moment Kunsel turned to the materia slot in his gauntlet and channeled the rare devastating ultima materia he had 'acquired' from a vault in the Banora temple on a security mission. The air around him burst into incinerating green waves of dark ultima magic and the lifestream was inundated with new souls. Kunsel's magic barrier tremoured close to shattering point and was the only thing that stopped him from joining them.

When the dust settled and the magic shimmered from the air Kunsel was left standing in the center of an empty scorched battlefield. Climbing shakily up from one knee he reclaimed his claymore as the speechless stunned face of Galen and his men in the distance broke into exuberant cheers, praising him and claiming victory despite the fact the rest of Condor still battled on fiercely. Casting ultima had taken a lot out of him but he maintained a brave face, letting the troops revel in their triumph.

However the celebration was short-lived as a whirlwind of painfully sharp screeches tore across the sky, the sound alone was enough to strike fear into the heart of even the bravest solider but the sight of what made it was by far more horrifying still. Dark crimson creatures with vicious maniacal serpent like faces covered in spikes dove through the air on wingspans wide enough to cast a gruesome shadow over the morning sun kissed slopes of fort Condor.

"WYVERNS!" a voice screamed in alarm as the courage of the left battalion failed and the men went running in terror.

Kunsel stared up at the sky in disbelief, SOLDIER had never used monsters like this before, monsters with an unnatural level of aggression even for wyverns. This devastating trump card that Shinra had played could not have been on any file or record belonging to SOLDIER or else he would know about it, this had to the work of..

"... Hojo"

The demonic beasts locked onto the left battalion as its prey and Kunsel watched as they ripped through the men like paper being fed through a shredder. The sky swarmed with the things and any opportunity for his furiously working mind to hatch a plan was lost as a pair of snapping jaws and sword length talons came for him. Diving for the floor to avoid the attack Kunsel tasted the incinerated earth and rolled in time to avoid being gouged with a scorpion like tail impaling the ground. The creature sought to overpower him while he was down and so using what little strength he left Kunsel sent a snapping kick to the monsters jaw and flipped to his feet making it scream insane fury through drool lined fangs. Keeping his stance light and bouncing on the balls of his feet the wyvern hissed warily, keeping its distance as Kunsel's crystal bright blue and hazel eyes held its black beads mesmerized while they circled each other. Shifting the claymore in his hand Kunsel prepared for its move, there was no chance in hell that the blunt sword would make it through the things thick hide but he could do something. Dropping his eyes for the briefest moment he knew the beast would lunge, dancing immediately to the side its jaws bit into empty air and now Kunsel had his opening. With all of his mako speed and strength he slammed the flat of the claymore against the wyverns skull, repeatedly applying blunt force trauma until the beast caved in and collapsed to the floor. Injured, exhausted and dizzy he could hear his name being screamed across the battlefield by his fellow AVALANCHE team members who watched in horror as the left battalion got completely decimated but were incapable of coming to his aid. His forces were picked off one by one until no one remained except Kunsel, encircled by a pack of laboratory twisted wyverns baring blood stained teeth, ready to rip him apart.

Steadying his breath Kunsel knew there was no way out of this one, he had come to the end of the line but he wouldn't be going down without a fight. It was intriguing to think that here in his last moment with all the dark regret and painful memories he carried, that not one of them came to his mind. Instead a young captivating mystery on short slender legs with fiery burnt orange hair and an attitude to match was the only thing that filled his thoughts. A Turk he had only met less than a week ago who's sweet and innocent features was a living contradiction to the career path she had taken. He had wanted so badly to figure out the beautiful conundrum, quite why he didn't know, there was something about her that tugged on a dominant portion of his mind and left him wanting to know far more than simply what an orphanage file had told him. In what was to be his final moment Kunsel thought of Cissnei, of Rekka... of their brief time together, of the way her small subtle but entirely womanly body moved when she fought, of the way she smiled or showed joy like it was a crime she needed to hide, of the way she fell spellbound under his stare and opened up to him in a way that words never could. He thought of the kiss they shared on a freezing cold night.

Without enough mana or energy to recast ultima he guided the claymore overhead into a position to strike and focused what remained on the fire materia in the hilt of his sword making the blade billow into flames. Breaking into a furious sprint Kunsel charged his ending head on and the wyverns pounced to meet him for his final but all together futile fight.


	25. Close returns

**Chapter 25 Part 1- Close returns  
**

_Without enough mana or energy to recast ultima he guided the claymore overhead into a position to strike and focused what remained on the fire materia in the hilt of his sword making the blade billow into flames. Breaking into a furious sprint Kunsel charged his ending head on and the wyverns pounced to meet him for his final but all together futile fight._

Striking at the nearest wyven to him, Kunsel drove the sword with full force into the creatures chest as it lunged for him, the raw heat of the blade blistering enough to cauterize through its plate. Wielding such a hot blade came at an agonizing price and the SOLDIER grit his teeth to keep a hold of his last line of defense. Ripping the claymore from the creatures body he only had time for one final stab straight through the open mouth of another wyvern that went for his neck before they were all upon him. The first bite latched onto his arm, the second his leg, the third a long laceration down the length of his back and after that there was no way of identifying where the merciless pain was coming from anymore. They tried to tear him apart and the quick violent end almost seemed appealing for a moment, but he held on, for one last effort as every muscle in his body bled to bursting point.

They bit and slashed away relentlessly until suddenly everything in his head went painfully sharp and his body slackened as fangs withdrew from his flesh and Kunsel fell face first to the floor barely on the edge of consciousness. There was an achingly high-pitched alarm ringing out and a screaming that sounded strangely beautiful. He could feel the hot blood pooling between him and the floor where he was going to bleed out and die, but why had the creatures left him be? The warm contact with the floor broke as two small arms turned him over to look up at a sky filled with blurry dots where the edges were slowly darkening.

That same delicate and hysterical voice that screamed was crying his name and with all the pain coursing through his body it was strange that he was able to feel two small tear drops splash against the back of his hand that was being clung to desperately.

It was Cissnei, clutching his palm to her chest with both her petite hands shouting in distress for help, her voice sounding like it was underwater to him. He smiled to the Turk kneeling beside him, though he wasn't entirely sure whether his face actually registered the action, she looked so afraid and shaken that it was both nice and unpleasant at the same time. Kunsel tried his arm, to reach and feel a lock of the burnt orange hair clinging damply to the side of her face, deciding that it was now his new favorite color. The action failed entirely so he aimed to just hold some part of her, any part of her but the ability to even get his arm off the floor was totally beyond him.

She cried and yelled for help, called his name and begged him...

"Please! Please Kunsel! stay with me!"

He tried his voice in return and surprisingly had success, though he had as much chance of springing to his feet as stringing a full sentence together and he could only manager her name.

"... Cissnei..."

She responded to his call and shifted her body over him to bring her face closer to his, wrapping her arms across his shoulders and making it much easier to look at her kind gentle eyes as they assured him everything would be alright. Lightly holding the side of his face with her hand covered in his blood, Cissnei pushed an incredibly tender kiss to his lips as if any harder and the gesture could break him.

"... Rekka... you call me Rekka when it's just me and you" she whispered gazing into his eyes.

_That felt nice_

That was the last thought that went through his mind before everything went black.

* * *

**Chapter 25 Part 2 **\- Close returns****

Cissnei followed and kept a vigilant watch as the troops marched from Junon to fort Condor, she had received the message from Kunsel that morning about the upcoming battle and had wanted to help but couldn't swallow her stubborn pride to go back there. Shinra were deploying standard assault tactics, or at least that was what she first thought until a cargo of violently shaking steel containers followed in disguise at the rear. She had tried to call Kunsel multiple times but now it was he who wasn't answering, most likely to busy with preparations for the fight. She had two choices, run to fort Condor to help and give them useless information about a weapon Shinra were concealing that Cissnei knew nothing about, or she could find out what these things were.

Shinra's SOLDIER's set up base in the sparsely populated forest ten or so miles from fort Condor, staying hidden and believing they were giving Condor as little time as possible to prepare. Cissnei kept to the shadows, dispatching as few of the scouts patrolling the area as possible whenever she came close to being caught and hiding the bodies out of sight. Once the troops had left she was in a better position to investigate what were being held in the vast array of metal cages being guarded with a scant few troops and surrounded by teams of scientists.

"Collect every ounce of data from the beasts performances! leave any detail out and you will have Professor Hojo to personally answer to!", a thin wiry grey haired scientist barked to the rest of his team, who's stern repugnant features could easily have made him a cousin or a brother of Hojo's. Unable to make any kind of move Cissnei continued to observe for quite some time until the need for answers started becoming urgent. She followed the head scientist closely and after much dithering around and nastily issuing orders he moved into one of the research tents giving Cissnei her opportunity.

Ghosting in behind the scientist she caught him from behind and placed Rekka against his neck.

"Scream and I kill you"

The scientist tensed and his hands slowly went up and she pressed Rekka firmer against his throat when the man made to talk.

"I speak, you answer"

He nodded

"What are in the containers?"

"Wyverns... an experiment to see if... to see if they could be harnessed on a battlefield" the scientist mumbled after nervously clearing his throat.

"How do you plan on releasing them?"

"... with the control in my left pocket"

Cissnei's other hand moved for said pocket but the scientist quickly dashed away grabbing the switch in his hand.

"NO! if I don't get Hojo his data he'll kill me!" the man squeaked, backing away and facing towards her in fright.

"I'll kill you if you don't hand that to me right now" she threatened and meant it.

"... you... you... your just a girl... you wouldn't kill me" he stammered, finger hovering on the trigger.

Cissnei lunged for the scientist and he hit the release switch before she could stop him. The sound of metal doors snapping open, screams of scientists and the beating of wings crescendoed outside. She rounded on the scientist with pure venom in her eyes making the man shrink in terror under the barely five foot girls fury.

"How do you stop them?" she growled.

"... I... I can't tell you"

With a swing of Rekka Cissnei slashed the scientist along one arm making him howl in pain.

"... I CAN'T TELL YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he spat viciously looking just as malevolent and twisted as Hojo.

Another slash across the top of the scientists leg and he fell to the floor bellowing, clutching his bleeding arm and leg.

"..ok!... ok!... the switch... the switch... press the switch... the sound... the sound is designed to subdue them..."

Pressing her boot into the mans wrist holding the object she pulled the control from his hand and hit the button, nothing happened. Rekka went up and the scientist whimpered fearfully.

"... wait wait wait!... it's working!... it's emitting a high-pitched frequency!... your human ears just can't hear it!... I swear!... I swear!... you just need to be close enough for them to hear it!"

Cissnei shifted her face from side to side watching the man closely to see if he was lying, then she raised Rekka again.

"... STOP!... I TOLD YOU!... I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING!... IT'S THE TRUTH!"

"I know it is... but I told you not to press that button, you should've thought twice before you fucked with a Turk..."

The scientists eyes widened and with that she buried Rekka in the center of his chest and ran from the tent. Sprinting passed the mess of severed bodies Cissnei piloted the first vehicle she saw. The excavation buggy buzzed to life and she took off in the direction of fort Condor as fast as the thing would go. By the time she arrived the whole air was ablaze with the sound of fighting, the slopes were littered with bodies and a battle like none Cissnei had every seen before was being waged. Her heart climbed into her throat, her friends were in that mess and now she cursed herself and her stupid pride for running away like she did.

Watching from a distance, Cissnei saw when a massive green explosion erupted from one side of the battle, drawing the attention of the wyverns in the sky. Her breath hitched as they dove from the air to attack, getting caught up in reckless fear Cissnei drove the buggy into a jutting rock near the bottom of the hill and the thing flipped, throwing her across the blackened floor and winding her badly.

Scrambling to her feet gasping Cissnei ran the rest of the way up the slope towards the creatures and that is when she saw Kunsel standing alone and bleeding in the center of the monsters surrounding him. Terrified she ran as fast as she could and when the dark crimson monstrosities attacked, tearing at his body she screamed, oh gaia she screamed, louder than she ever had before. Even louder than when she watched her father, mother and brother die at the age of six because she couldn't keep her mouth shut that her older brother was a Turk. It was one of the reasons why Veld had noticed her in the orphanage, he had kept a distanced but watchful eye over her all her childhood life in respect to both her uncle and brother who had both been Turks. It was how she had eventually become one herself.

She held the device out in front of her as she hurtled towards Kunsel being viciously mutilated, praying to any and every god who would listen for it to work. As she got close the creatures coward away and dropped their bodies low to the ground in submission. Cissnei watched as they released Kunsel who fell in a bloody mess before she could catch him, the sight of the deep gashes over his entire body had her screaming again in pure terror that he was already dead.

Flipping him over she screamed for help, never feeling more afraid and helpless in her life. Seeing him still alive after he had spoken her name she cried with relief and now she knew just how much she needed him to live and how much she needed him in her life.

"...Cissnei..."

She took his shoulder in her arms and brushed a gentle hand to his face, then she kissed him wanting so fiercely to take his pain away.

"... Rekka... you call me Rekka when it's just me and you"

His eyes closed and with the condition his body was in, with wounds so deep and broken it was almost inevitable that he was going to die but she wouldn't accept it. Realizing that no help was going to come Cissnei discarded Rekka without any care to pull him off the floor, she tried desperately to lift his weight but he was so heavy and his wounds began to pour even more profusely when she stood him up making her bawl tearfully. She draped him across her back and shoulders with his feet dragging across the ground and she could feel his blood seeping into her clothing. Adrenaline, fear and the irrefutable truth that she could not let Kunsel die pushed her beyond the limits of her strength to drag him baby steps at a time up the slope towards the fort. She took staggered step after staggered step until her lungs felt like they were about to implode in her chest, burning with exertion to get him to the one person who could possibly help.

She silently thanked whatever god had listened to her prayer with another shower of tears when she saw Aerith standing at the gate.

"Cissnei! you're back!... whats?..."

"QUICK HELP ME WITH HIM!"

"Kunsel?... oh my!"

Aerith dashed over to them and took Kunsel's other arm and together they carried him into the gateway chamber and laid him out on the first table they found.

"Oh god!..." Aerith squealed clamping her hands to her mouth as she took in the sight on his injuries.

"Quickly! you need to heal him!" Cissnei practically begged, tears still streaming down her face as Aerith stared over him helplessly as she began to shed her own.

"He's... he's so hurt... I don't know..."

Cissnei grabbed the flower girl by her shoulders which were now as equally covered in blood as hers while Aerith just looked Kunsel up and down at a total loss at where to begin.

"Aerith... please"

She nodded and together they gently peeled his shirt off making Cissnei bite down on her knuckles in despair at the horrific sight. Aerith produced her cure two materia and they set about trying to save Kunsel's life.

* * *

**Chapter 25 Part 3 **\- Close returns****

After Shinra were defeated and what remained of their forces fled the slopes of Condor, Zack and Yuffie did not revel in any of the masses of victorious cheering or silent grieving that washed across the field. Instead they both broke into a run, knowing what had befallen Kunsel's unit and hoped for a miracle that he had not been one of the fallen.

When the wyverns attacked Zack had tried to get away to help as quickly as possible but he had come face to face with the man leading the Shinra army after watching him tear through the right battalion. He was a first class who Zack remembered being a second back when he was with SOLDIER called Dwight. Dwight was extremely skilled and always did have potential but was often reckless and aggressive, the kind of character Sephiroth would never permit to becoming a first. It seemed like morals and honor weren't the only standard to slip in SOLDIER these days. Zack killed Dwight after an intense battle made more difficult by the fact the man was freshly enhanced. SOLDIER's were always strongest for the first few months after injections when mako was freshest in their system, but they were also a lot less focused and there in lied his downfall.

After Dwight fell to his sword Shinra soon collapsed without its leader and the battle was won. Zack took off the instant he could ahead of Yuffie with his enhanced speed, flying past Tifa on the way up who shouted his name as he went by, but he couldn't stop. Red pulled in a long side him, bounding at the same speed as him as they made their way up the slope.

"Have you seen Kunsel!?" Zack yelled above the loud wind created by the speed they were running at.

"He's at the fort, I can smell him... there's blood Zack"

Zack picked up his speed to a point where even Red was beginning to struggle to keep pace. Bursting through the gate Zack never knew that he could ever witness anything worse than what Cloud's death had been, but he was proven sorely mistaken. Cissnei sat shuddering with her hands in her face on a stone step, he had never seen the Turk cry before, she was always so tough that there were times he even believed her incapable of it. What was by far worse though was the sight of Aerith standing over Kunsel's body, hands, arms, even face covered in his blood with tears pouring from her eyes as she looked at Zack helplessly.

"... I can't save him... I can't... I can't save him..."

Aerith clung with bloodied shaking hands to the green orb of materia looking completely drained and Kunsel's body was still littered in wounds. Hearing Aerith's words Cissnei broke down further and Red moved to try and offer futile comfort. The mythril saber dropped with a clang from Zack's hand as he approached slowly, watching Kunsel fight to breathe and hearing his heartbeat thudding weakly and alarmingly slow. He grit his teeth, Zack had made a promise to himself that he wouldn't let this happen again, that he wouldn't watch another friend die... and he meant it!

"You can Aerith... you can save him"

Aerith couldn't speak as she just gasped for air between bouts of sobbing, unable to tell Zack she had nothing more to give and was not even remotely close to healing him enough to survive. Taking her red stained hands Zack repeated his words with total belief.

"You can save him", he pried the cure two materia from Aerith's hands and discarded it to the ground. "I've seen you do it, without materia"

"That was just for a migraine... not this... not this much damage" she could hardly finish of the last word, her voice fading out in grief.

"It'll work, talk to the planet, talk to your people, use your powers, anything... you have so much strength in you I just know it"

"He's right" Red urged, "you can do it"

"KUNSEL!" Tifa screamed, arriving breathlessly followed by Yuffie who shrieked in alarm and Barret who recoiled in genuine shock.

"Wyverns!... wyverns they got Kuns...!" Jessie too arrived but fell silent at the scene, face turning completely white.

"Yo you SOLDIER punks are s'posed to heal real quick right?... he'll be ok right?... right?" Barret asked over and over, trying hard to keep any concern for a SOLDIER from showing in his voice.

"His mako won't save him... not with injuries this bad" Zack mourned.

Turning back to Aerith he surged with hope at seeing her eyes distant and glazed like it always did when she spoke with the planet.

"Then wha' we sp.."

"Shhh" Zack hushed Barret as all eyes turned to Aerith, no one caring for their own injuries.

She stared into space for a number of seconds and then her far off eyes slowly closed, cutting off two hanging tears to go racing down each cheek. Laying her hands against Kunsel's bare and hardly moving chest the curls of Aerith's hair began to lift slightly and in a way that could not be put into words she seemed to swell with energy as if she was drawing on every ounce of power from the air around her. When Aerith's hands began to glow a ripple of gasps echoed through the chamber and Cissnei climbed to her feet with a glimmer of hope in her puffy wide hazel eyes. Streams of green pulsing light identical to that of the lifestream snaked and weaved from the point where Aerith's hands shrouded in bright light touched Kunsel's broken body. The emerald tendrils identical to the color of Aerith's eyes wound their way around the injured SOLDIER's limbs and AVALANCHE watched in wonderment as Kunsel's wounds visibly knitted themselves together. When Kunsel let out a long shuddering gasp of air the entire room released their own as everyone had been holding their breath in anticipation.

Cissnei collapsed to Kunsel's side who remained unconscious with a cry of relief and Zack had to sprint to catch Aerith as she swayed dangerously on the spot. Catching her just as she was about to fall Zack lifted Aerith completely out cold into his arms and turned to Yuffie nearest the door.

"Go get Killian! we need two private rooms now!"

For the first time ever the Wutai princess listened without dispute or comment and ran from the room with a nod. Carrying her towards the stairs Zack placed a kiss to Aerith's forehead in gratitude and admiration that would forever be beyond repayment.

"You did good baby" he whispered softly against her skin, "you did good"

* * *

**Chapter 25 Part 4 **\- Close returns****

Over a countless blur of hours, members of AVALANCHE flitted in and out every so often into the room Kunsel laid resting in where Cissnei had not left his side once. Her eyes remained fixed on his sleeping form the entire time as if his condition could worsen the moment she looked away from him. He was still in bad shape but he was stable and he was going to live, that's all that mattered.

Hours later when he came into consciousness again it was all Cissnei could do to refrain from throwing herself on him in joy. It was still so frightening that she was becoming so emotionally attached to another person, but after coming so close to losing him she accepted it now, she was falling in love with him.

"... Rekka?" his voice faintly spoke and somehow he still managed to smile through the pain that he tried to conceal behind his expression.

"That's right, I'm here now"

She looked to his hand and contemplated whether or not she should hold it but decided on keeping her hands in her lap instead.

"... that's good..." he heaved with a peaceful smile, "but how... am I here?"

"Because your too stubborn to die"

He raised an eyebrow at her and Cissnei had to hold back from crying again as some of that glow she so dearly loved came back to his eyes. "..ok... I guess I can't really talk, I know I can be as stubborn as they come" Cissnei admitted bashfully.

"I like that" he glowed, keeping his stare fixed on her.

Even now weak and confined to a bed Kunsel could still make her feel so powerless as her hands began nervously fidgeting over one another in circles.

"... Aerith saved you"

Kunsel nodded gently with great effort and then opened his down-turned palm towards her which she took without hesitation.

"You saved me to Rekka"

It was as if her real name had become a trigger word to her pool of tears that started emptying again. It was such a relief to hear and finally accept someone using her real name again.

"I'm sorry..." he breathed watching the droplets tumble down her face, trying to squeeze her hand but only able to apply a pitiful amount of force.

"For what?" she asked, brushing at her wet cheeks and cursing herself for being so emotional.

"For finding out about your past... I wish I'd let you tell me... I used Veld to find out you were an orphan and from there I tracked your file... I shouldn't have gone behind your back... I'm sorry"

It was the longest sentence Kunsel had strung together so far but this time he was unable to slap on a happy face as he winced and hissed in probably what was agony.

"Shhhh... I'm glad you know... stop now... rest"

Kunsel's eyes flicked to the door and a hesitant look spread across his face and Cissnei knew why.

"I'm not going to leave again... I promise"

He nodded more with his eyes than his head and with that Kunsel's eyes closed again, not so much as falling asleep as losing the will to maintain consciousness.

Cissnei continued to sit with him, holding onto his hand until about twenty minutes later there was a soft tap at the door and Tifa quietly entered the room.

"How's he doing?" Tifa asked anxiously, crossing the room silently and taking a seat next to Cissnei.

"He was awake for a bit... even spoke for a while"

They both sat quietly for a second, taken in the beauty of those words.

How's Aerith?" Cissnei queried with genuine concern.

"Zack's with her, whatever it was she did it took a lot out of her, question is how are you doing?"

"Me?"

"We were all worried about you, you took off without a word... Kunsel wouldn't even tell us why"

"... I'm sorry Tifa" Cissnei winced, feeling embarrassed and ashamed at her disappearance. "I just needed some time to think about some things"

A hand with very badly bruised and swollen knuckles and a scattering of fresh cuts covered Cissnei's hand.

"You know you can talk to me about anything right?" Tifa firmed, "I want you to feel like you can"

Cissnei looked at the woman, wanting so badly to be able to just open up. She didn't want to continue being the cold distant member of the group who never confided in anyone, but she just found it so difficult to let people in. Taking a deep breath she decided to place some trust in another person for once and share what had been constantly on her mind ever since her meeting with Veld.

"I need to go to the Shinra mansion..."

"For answers on Sephiroth?"

Cissnei nodded.

"But not just that" she paused hesitantly, "I think there might be something there, something personal to me... I think my..."

The bedroom door burst open in interruption as was always the way when a person had something difficult or important to say. It was Jessie, looking wide-eyed and panicked.

"It's Rufus! he's gone!"

* * *

**Chapter 25 Part **5- Close returns****

Rufus sat in the middle of the blank concrete room, taking a deep breath he focused himself. His time with AVALANCHE had certainly been interesting and he had learned some valuable truths about Sephiroth, but now that time was up. Heideggar and Scarlet were hunting huge materia and his position as president was now at jeopardy, something that took priority over the little game he had intended to play.

When AVALANCHE had captured him Rufus found himself with a rare opportunity to deal with two of his biggest problems in one go. An opportunity to be there when Sephiroth and AVALANCHE tried to destroy one another, where he would watch from the sidelines as they tore one another apart. Who the victor would be he didn't know, nor did he care, but whoever it was they would be left in a position of vulnerability and he would capatalise on the opportunity.

I suppose if he was honest he would rather it be Sephiroth he had to finish off himself, as much as AVALANCHE was a pain in his ass he had to admit their intentions were admiral and in certain situations they could even be likeable. But honorable intentions had no place in this world and killing them would at the final hour be a necessity, except for the ancient, he would keep her alive.

Rufus despised the thought but his father was right, the promised land did exist after all and he would need the girl to get to it. When the Zolom attacked he watched as his gateway to an unlimited supply of mako and power came close to being killed. There was no doubt about it, he saved Aerith for his own selfish reasons but at least now he knew how to capture her. His father had relied on the Turks to get her, he would not make the same mistake now that he knew Tseng had grown attached to the girl. He would put a stop to Heideggar and Scarlet's materia hunt, take the promised land for himself and let his two biggest enemies pick each other off, it all sounded so flawless but first he needed to get out of this prison cell.

He slipped the green orb of materia from the inner lining of his coat pocket, he had gone through great effort in keeping concealed. He had stolen it two days ago from one of AVALANCHE's packs while Zack was re-telling the events that happened at Nibelheim.

He smirked, it had caused quite a fuss and the Wutai princess had taken the brunt of the accusation to which she didn't take too kindly while he sat there like butter wouldn't melt. Rufus had to quickly grab the first materia he found and was rather dissapointed when it turned out to be a quake materia but he would work with what he got.

Prepared and ready Rufus channeled the spell, making sure not to use its full power, he didn't want the whole room caving in on him. The room tremoured roughly and now he just had to wait, sat cross-legged and relaxed in the middle of the room. Responding to the tremor the cell door was hastily unlocked and three armed guards rushed into the room to investigate, surrounding him with guns locked onto him.

Rufus eyed the men in amusement, noticing how the one on the right held his gun far more erratically than the others with finger squeezing the trigger close to firing point. He would be the trigger happy fool who would get him out of here.

"Something the matter?" Rufus drooled menacingly at the man, making the guard even more on edge as intended.

The second the one in the middle made to talk Rufus made his move, knowing that no matter what he going to get shot, the gamble was whether it would be anywhere vital. Moving at a speed that had taken a great deal of training to achieve Rufus grabbed the nervous twitchy guards gun by the barrel and turned it sharply on the guard in the center. As predicted the inexperienced rookie let loose and graciously dispatched his own teammate on Rufus' behalf. The guard on the left took his unavoidable shot and a bullet to the forearm that missed bone had Rufus smirk in victory. Sure it stung like a bitch but he could never let that show, after all he had the reputation of never feeling pain and never being known to cry to uphold.

Within the millisecond it took for the bullet that hit him to strike Rufus turned on the one who fired the shot and drove two fingers into a pressure point in the mans neck who went limp as a fish. It was a little trick he had learned from the Turks that always had an intriguing elegance to it that he admired. The gun trapped under Rufus' grasp continued to rattle away loudly, not that it mattered, the sound of the raging battle outside was far louder still.

Kicking a steel capped heel into the final guards shin the man released the gun and dropped to his knee yelping, towering over the last guard Rufus snapped the mans neck in one fluid motion. Taking one of the dead mens belts he wrapped it tightly around the bleeding hole in his forearm and strolled out of the cell.

His time with AVALANCHE had been eventful, but now he had bigger fish to fry.


	26. Meaningful connections

**Chapter 26 Part 1- Meaningful connections**

Jessie ran her fingers through her hair, grimacing at the tangle of knots and wincing as she came in contact with the tender bump from a hit to the head she had taken during the fight. She was slumped barely standing up against the wall completely exhausted, Kunsel was right, now she had slowed down she was crashing hard. It was also becoming more apparent now everything had calmed down the extent to everyone else's injuries which had been treated by more primitive means, any and all cure materia in Condor being used only on those who needed it most.

Barret had stitches up one arm from a nasty sword cut, Tifa had sprained a wrist pretty badly and her hands were in a horrid state. Yuffie was fuming that her 'incredibly beautiful face' had been tainted with the beginnings of a dark bruise to the cheek and Red had started acquiring a small limp as he moved on one of his back legs. None of them were in any kind of condition to travel, except for Zack who's mako had dealt with most of his injuries.

They were all gathered outside Aerith's room except for Cissnei who was still with Kunsel.

"We can't leave, especially with the state Kunsel and Aerith are in" Jessie implored sleepily.

Zack sighed in understanding, "but if we don't leave by tonight we will lose track of Sephiroth"

"Perhaps that's not such a bad thing" Red remarked.

Everyone turned to Red in confusion. "How'd ya' mean?" Barret voiced.

"Think about it" Red replied, "the entire way from Midgar to Junon there has been a trail of bodies and sightings for us to follow, don't you think that's a bit strange? Doesn't it make you think that Sephiroth is trying to make us follow him?"

"Red has a point" Tifa enforced, hissing at Yuffie as she poured antiseptic less than delicately over her knuckles, helping her bandage them up.

"Stop being a big baby boobs."

"Don't call me that" Tifa replied automatically as the Wutai princess snatched Tifa's hands back, "If that monster wanted to travel unnoticed he could. Red's right, he's been leaving us a trail of breadcrumbs the entire time."

"But why? Why would Sephiroth want us to follow him" Zack whispered in thought.

"Perhaps he's a glutton for punishment and actually wants us to smack him into the middle of next week" Yuffie chuckled.

Zack groaned in frustration at the ceiling. Everything was going to shit, Rufus had escaped, Kunsel and Aerith were both unconscious, Sephiroth was up to something and always seemed one step ahead of them. Not to mention Shinra were tearing the world apart for huge materia and Jenova, who they knew practically nothing about, was hell-bent on destroying the planet. It seemed like every step they took along this journey all they ran into was more questions and any answers they got simply lead to more questions, including what the hell had happened last night between him and Tifa.

"Looks like it's settled then, we stay another night..."

"At least" Tifa interjected in between Zack.

"... we'll figure out our next move and try to get one step ahead of Sephiroth and Jenova's plan. Condor should be safe now for a few weeks, but let's leave them in as prepared a state as they can be."

"Hey! what about my materia!?" Yuffie demanded when everyone started to disperse.

"Yuffie come on" Tifa sighed, chastising the girl.

"What!? That was the deal!" Yuffie fumed, yanking her arm away from the martial artist.

"Yuffie it's called huge materia for a reason, it's not exactly something you can shove in your backpack" Zack explained. "Plus it will be safer from Shinra's hands if it's kept here in the fort. Look, I'll tell Killian it's yours and we just need him to hold if for safekeeping, ok?"

Yuffie squirmed on the spot, torn between using logic and reason and throwing a tantrum.

"Fine! But I want a big label with my name put on it!" she stomped folding her arms.

"Listen kid!..."

"Deal" Zack interrupted Barret before all hell could break loose and they woke up Aerith.

"And tell them if I find out anyone's been using my materia while I'm away we'll feed them to Red!"

"But I don't eat..."

"Fine" Zack agreed trying to keep the peace. "Now let's focus on helping Condor and seeing if we can think if we have left any stone unturned with Sephiroth while Aerith and Kunsel get some rest."

* * *

**Chapter 26 Part 2- Meaningful connections**

Though her body lay still Aerith's mind was far from resting, ever since she begged the planet to save Kunsel her head had been a mess of images. The planet had refused at first, telling her it was too premature and she wasn't ready, but she pleaded even threatened that if it let Kunsel die she wouldn't fulfil the duty she knew it demanded of her.

The planet relented, though it warned her that there was a price to pay for her actions but she didn't care. Aerith couldn't let Kunsel die and she couldn't bear to watch Zack being burdened with anymore grief. So the planet connected Aerith to her people and she could feel the echoes of their souls when her mind became linked to the lifestream, granting her access to the source of her people's power that saved Kunsel's life. The connection however had unleashed a floodgate and her mind was overloaded with the thoughts and feelings of the ancients. It was too much information to take in, like a hardrive being bombarded with too much data where only sections could be remembered and stored away.

She saw a city, a white city with white trees and white huts, glowing, beautiful, serene... home. A place once filled with so much joy and life but now stood empty and alone, shrouded with sorrow for a purpose it was still to serve. Aerith knew with every fibre of her being that she needed to get to this place, she didn't know what for but whatever the reason was she cried, cried so hard until tears would no longer fall. Until the lake she knelt before would accept no more of the flood and all she wanted to do was wake up to tell Zack she was sorry. Aerith tightened her hands around her mother's white materia that she didn't realise she had been holding as she stared out across the sparkling water.

Aerith knew she was dreaming but it all felt so real, the hard stone platform beneath her knees, the musky yet sweet smell of countless abandoned years, the peaceful currents of warm air against her skin. She wanted to know why she was here, what this place meant, what her purpose was, what she had to do, why she was trembling and crying harder than she ever had before in a place that in all its beauty could be mistaken for heaven.

A hand laid itself gently against her quickly rising and falling shoulders, standing abruptly to her feet Aerith turned to come face to face with a pair of glowing baby blue eyes and a young but agelessly troubled face staring at her in sympathetic sorrow. She had only met him a few times before, a quiet shy person who she quietly thanked every day for the sacrifice he made. He seemed different now.

"Cloud?" she squeezed between her slowly dying outburst of grief. She felt so happy to see him, which was strange, she hardly even got to know him but now all she wanted to do was hug him, for her and for Zack.

"... hey Aerith"

Cloud never did say very much and now she was surging with urgency that he was really here and she had a chance at long last to truly thank him instead of thin air.

"Thank you Cloud!" Aerith gave in to her urge to embrace him and threw her arms around him tightly, "thank you... for saving Zack, for what you did at Nibelheim, for everything!"

"I should not have saved Zack..."

Aerith pulled away in startled shock at his words.

"Things weren't meant to be like this" he continued.

"What do you mean?" Aerith mumbled feeling scared.

"I changed things, things that weren't meant to be changed and now the planet may not survive."

"You mean saving Zack?" she gasped.

Cloud nodded "I was given another chance, I thought I could save everyone" his face took a turn from being pleased to see her to an aching sadness, Aerith took both of his hands and Cloud looked up into her eyes. "But I failed... no matter what I can't save everyone."

"You didn't fail Cloud! Don't say that, I don't care what the planet says, you saving Zack was not a mistake... just tell me what I need to do."

Cloud stood there silently, visibly battling with some internal struggle for many minutes as his mind raced over her words.

"... I can't... they want me to but I can't.." he finally heaved miserably, unable to look at her and keeping his gaze fixed down at her hands holding his.

"Why not? What can't you tell me? What do I have to do?"

"Something I have had nightmares about every single day since as long as I can remember..." Cloud whispered. "No... I won't be the one who sends you to that again... even if it is the only way... I WON'T DO IT! FIND YOURSELF ANOTHER HERO!"

Cloud yelled out angrily to someone beyond the heavens making her jump.

"Cloud..." she squeaked tearfully, touched at the amount of care he was showing for her even though she didn't understand it. "Whatever it is I need to do, just let me do it."

"It still doesn't save the planet... in the end it still dies... nothing can save it."

"Yes we can, we're still here, we still have time and we'll find a way... there is always hope."

Aerith didn't know where the conviction in her voice and in her heart was coming from, but it was there. Cloud just nodded, none of the despair leaving his expression as he slowly turned away.

"Cloud! wait! I have so many questions!"

Cloud paused and turned slightly with an understanding but apologetic face.

"I know, I can't give you any answers... not right now."

Aerith wanted to ask why but instead she dropped her head dejectedly then watched Cloud walk away. Before he disappeared and Aerith returned from the dream he stopped one last time to give her a longing stare with the faintest hint of a smile but also with a world of sadness in his eyes.

"We had some real fun Aerith, me and you."

Aerith smiled and nodded back entirely reactionary but then frowned at both her response and his words. Opening her mouth she made to express her confusion but then he was gone, or she was gone, or they were both gone, Aerith didn't know as everything faded out of sight.

* * *

**Chapter 26 Part 3- Meaningful connections**

Seeing tears fall from someone eyes while they slept was strange and far more discomforting to look at than if they were awake. To see someone you love hurting in a far off unconscious place where you couldn't be to offer them comfort was cruel. Zack just watched, perched on the edge of the bed beside Aerith, wanting but too afraid to wake her up in the unknown condition she was in. When she awoke the question that was hanging desperately on the tip of his tongue rolled out instantly.

"Aerith, whats the matter?"

She looked at him, then around the room as if she had no clue what universe she could be on right now. Aerith looked back at him and Zack visibly watched as upset mounted up in her expression until she launched herself upright to throw her body against him, latching her arms around his midsection in a wave of hysteria. Zack's hands just hovered in mid-air for a moment in total surprise but then wrapped her in a protective hold, to give whatever comfort it was she was seeking.

"I'm sorry!" she mewled into his chest.

"... for what?" he puzzled, after being at a loss for words for a second.

"I don't know!" Aerith cried in what sounded like tearful frustration as she started to quake.

"Slow down, talk to me, what are you saying?"

Aerith looked up at him in distress and Zack could see the confusion in her face, suddenly climbing onto her knees Aerith rushed either side of Zack's face with her hands pinning his eyes to hers on the brink of tears.

"I never want to hurt you Zack, please believe me."

Though he was still baffled Zack didn't want to repeat himself and push her for understanding when she clearly had none, hoping that whatever had her so oddly distraught would reveal itself in time. Wanting to calm the situation down and see her smiling again Zack shuffled back on the bed to prop his back against the wall, guiding her towards him by the hand as he did so.

"I believe you, whatever made you think otherwise, it was just a dream. Come, sit with me."

Aerith took Zack's direction and planted herself in his lap submitting to being held by the incredible strength of his arms that somehow he always had the skill to reign in and be so gentle with. She wanted to tell Zack that deep down she knew it was more than a dream, to tell him about Cloud and explain to him what she had seen, but something was telling her not to. She never wanted to keep anything from Zack and the thought that she was doing so made her want to sob, but somehow she knew whatever it was she had to do, she couldn't tell him.

"I'll always protect you Aerith, you know that."

Aerith nodded against his chest and settled on listening to his breathing and just being with him, encircled in his arms for many long silent minutes. Her anguish slowly dissipated and it warmed her heart that they didn't need words as Aerith revelled in the feel of his touch. His arm wrapped all the way around her back and shoulders in a nestled hold, his forearm pressing against her breasts, his other now very rough and calloused hand still feeling delicious on her bare legs. It was during that last thought that Aerith realized for the first time what she was wearing, or lack thereof, she had been stripped down to just her knickers and a loose baggy top that didn't belong to her. Realizing she was in one of Zack's tops she glowed and subconsciously inhaled the beautiful scent of it, of him, deciding that she now had a new favourite bed time t-shirt she would always wear. Her head continued to wonder, if she was in his t-shirt did that mean that it been him who had taken her out of her dirty blood stained clothes?

"KUNSEL!"

"It's alright! He's alive and stable" Zack urged quickly, "thanks to you... Aerith you were incredible."

Aerith blushed slightly but nodded contently and relaxed again, making a note to go pay Kunsel a visit later, for now she just wanted to enjoy these precious moments alone with Zack.

"How are the others?"

"They're fine, a bit roughed up so were staying an extra night."

Aerith sighed in relief, the last thing she wanted to do was go travelling right now.

"Yuffie was amazing out there today" Zack continued "though she's running around Condor now spreading the tale of the 'white rose who charged an entire SOLDIER unit alone'. Funny thing is it's actually picking up some pace."

Aerith chuckled at the thought and sighed happily, "I love Yuffie."

"Yeah she's not a bad kid, I'm just trying to get her to open up a bit, find out what's really on her mind."

"Ummm materia?" Aerith answered as if that was obvious.

"I think there's more to this whole materia obsession of hers then she lets on, I know she has some pretty deep feelings, especially for Wutai, her reaction when she saw Rufus made that clear. Wutai was stripped of its materia years ago, part of the peace treaty with Shinra makes it forbidden for them to possess magic of any kind."

"So you think Yuffie wants materia for Wutai?"

"To make them strong again yeah."

"That's so sweet, do you think we can help her?" Aerith smiled in new-found admiration for the girl.

"Lord Godo would certainly make a valuable ally."

"Is that why you let Yuffie travel with us?" Aerith asked sitting up slightly.

"It's one of the reasons... but not the only reason."

Aerith settled back down, wondering when a bedroom conversation had started turning into a political discussion.

"And how are you?" she asked, wanting to get back to just them, linking her fingers through one of his and kissing the tips of his fingers.

"If you're ok, I'm ok."

"Correct answer" she grinned teasing him with a poke, "you certainly know the right thing to say Mr. Charmer you."

Zack gasped sarcastically, "my secret identity! Revealed!", tilting her head backwards in his arms Zack attacked her neck with kisses making Aerith break into laughter. "Now that you know, I cannot allow you to leave this bedroom!"

She kicked and squealed while he roughed her up playfully and it didn't take a rocket scientist to realize where this was physical contact was going. It made her insides catapult around excitedly, she didn't expect that she and Zack would get another opportunity again quite so soon. Now she was all too aware of her current attire again and she clamped her knees together in slight embarrassment, wishing she hadn't chosen to wear her least glamorous pair of plain white panties. Regardless her head had already gone to the gutter and now she selfishly wanted another night with him.

Formulating a plan she pushed him off her and pinned his back to the wall by pressing a hand lightly against his chest.

"Zack... did you undress me?" Aerith asked slyly but keeping an entirely innocent exterior as she shifted deeper into his lap.

Zack nervously scratched the back of his head making her resent the removal of his hand from her legs.

"Ummm yeah?... I was gonna get Tifa or Jessie to but I errr... I figured after we errr... you know..." Zack swallowed hard and Aerith held back her laughter for a moment to continue glaring at him while he squirmed awkwardly, it was so cute. "But it wasn't anything like that!... I just... well... argh... I didn't look or touch anything!... oh boy"

"And why didn't you!?" Aerith asked in a fake stern snappy voice, patting herself on the back at her excellent self-control in the laughter department.

"... come again?" Zack spluttered, not quite thinking he heard right.

"Why wouldn't you look or touch anything?" she asked again, "I am yours after all."

kneeling upright she straddled his lap with her legs, making herself taller than him and looking down on him with her questioning eyes.

Zack swallowed nervously as Aerith tortured him under the intensity of her stare, totally lost for words. Just as she was about to surrender to her inner hysterics she caught Zack's eyes briefly wander across her body and at the crease of his t-shirt as it fell between her cleavage. Biting lightly with her tongue between her teeth she welcomed his eyes on her body and suddenly she couldn't remember what was funny anymore. Grasping at the hem of the t-shirt with hands crossed over one another Aerith wanted to show him more, lifting the t-shirt slowly over her abdomen, then plain white bra covered breasts she undressed for him. Finally, she fully removed the item overhead and flicked her head ever so slightly to send her long curls cascading down her back, trying her hand at being seductive for the first time, hoping it was working and purring when she felt it was. The expression on his face and the way he ran his eyes over her body which he was directly eye level with made Aerith feel incredibly sexy, he could always make her feel so confident with her own body in a way she never thought possible. She felt more comfortable now under his eyes then she even felt under her own scrutiny in the mirror.

"Sleep with me Zack" she whispered running both her hands through his tall black rugged spikes.

His hands ran up either side of the entire length of her body, over her chest and up to her neckline, sliding the straps of her bra off both her shoulders.

"You should be resting miss Gainsborough" Zack reprimanded, leaning forward to place toe curling kisses to her stomach.

"Says the man who just finished winning a battle" she returned through hitched breath, her fingers clutching sharply at the bed covers as he laid her out and his kisses began to travel downwards.

* * *

**Chapter 26 Part 4- Meaningful connections**

It was getting late but neither Cissnei or Kunsel realized nor did they care as they talked for hours. It was the most she had ever connected with another person on a purely verbal level and the smile never left her face as they talked about anything and everything. Everything except for the heavy stuff and Cissnei felt so relieved to finally be able to talk about light-hearted things. He asked her simple things, like her favorite color, what food she liked, what music she listened to, they shared embarrassing stories, funny stories, talked about what their next likely career paths would have been had they chosen differently. They laughed as she was dull and said special ops while he told a hilarious yet intricately valid story about how he would have become a milkman had he not joined SOLDIER.

It went on for hours, both just wanting to know absolutely everything there was to know about the other.

"Ok my turn... how about Wutai?" Kunsel asked.

"Yep, twice."

"On holiday. Going on Turk duty doesn't count."

"Oh if we're only talking about holidays then this is going to be a very short game" Cissnei laughed arching her back subconsciously, feeling a little stiff from sitting forward in the chair next to his bedside.

Kunsel noticed, shuffled over and sat upright in bed with a tiny grunt of discomfort, the fact he was able to move himself was in itself a testimony to mako healing.

"What are you?..." Cissnei began standing up in concern but paused as he patted his hand on the vacant spot beside him.

"Huh?" she stared vacantly feeling a miniature punch of adrenaline.

"Pull up a pillow" he grinned, "I don't bite... unless you want to stay over there and end up a hunch-back."

"Ok..." she ventured unsurely, gingerly perching beside him and leaning against the pillow he propped up, remaining as close to the edge of the bed as possible.

"Rekka, I can't seduce you if you sit all the way over there."

Cissnei's head did a violent ninety degree turn while her eyes shot open in surprise.

"I'm just kidding" Kunsel cracked up laughing at her reaction but had to quickly stop when it became too painful.

A small smile crept across her face that she tried her best to hide while she stroppily shuffled up next to him, he was teasing her.

"I knew you was joking" she began trying to regain some pride, being careful to lay her hand besides his instead of on top of his as its natural path would have wanted. "I knew because you couldn't even undress yourself right now let alone seduce a woman."

 _Take that_ she chuckled victoriously in her head.

"Hmmm you might be right" Kunsel mused, shifting his hand across the carefully laid gap she created to half grasp at her fingers teasingly towards his. He wouldn't take his eyes off her the entire time and soon everything turned to mush and she broke the cruel teasing to link her fingers through his in an intimate hold. She had become his puppet on a string and Kunsel directed her towards him and she fell towards his lips. When he smirked the strings were cut and Cissnei paused halfway recognizing what he'd done.

"... you git" she huffed humorously.

Then he kissed her, light but affectionately, giving her the perfect balance of passion so as not to be too intense that the cursed alarm in her head would go off but enough to turn her insides to liquid. Cissnei knew she was being unresponsive, parting her lips to receive him but other than that remaining motionless and frozen, being so inexperienced and unsure in this department. Kunsel guided her and everything about this kiss screamed how clearly he understood her, knowing it was baby steps at a time and as she wasn't already half way across Gaia this was already in itself a pretty big breakthrough.

He softly pulled away and Cissnei followed him slightly before re-opening her eyes and sharing a close fond stare with him, breaking into big smiles. Shuffling back to his side Cissnei kept a hold of his hand and cozied in against him, resting her head lightly on his shoulder.

"Ok my go..." Cissnei began, "have you ever been toooooo Costa Del Sol?"

"Have I been there!? Of course I've been there! The woman there are... well we don't need to discuss that..." Kunsel petered out sheepishly as Cissnei raised an eyebrow at him. "How about you?" he quickly deflected.

"Once, it was to meet Zack actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah I remember they forced Zack to take a holiday, he was so restless he only made it half a day" Cissnei giggled at the memory, "I went there to tell him that director Lazzard had been laundering money to Hollander to fund his research, it was the same day I told Zack that Aerith was an ancient."

"So it was business once again, didn't you take a break while you were there?"

"I don't do well in the sun" Cissnei explained coyly, presenting a lock of her flame-red hair.

"Does that mean I don't get to see Rekka in her bikini once we get to Costa Del Sol?" he nudged her leg running alongside his with their linked hands.

The trace of disappointment in his voice made had her flush slightly at the thought of him wanting to see her body, "the odds of that are pretty slim."

"But they're are odds" he cheered, "I tell you what, I bet you fifty gil that when we get there I end up getting you in a pretty pink bikini that would make Aerith proud."

Cissnei burst out laughing at the pure ridiculousness of the notion, the chance of her being caught seen in a 'pretty pink' bikini zero to none.

"I'll definitely have in on that deal" she agreed holding out her hand to shake on it. They were still holding hands so Kunsel raised the only free one he had and there was that awkward moment when you realize a left and a right hand can't shake. Slowly growing in confidence beside him Cissnei decided to be daring and sealed the deal by dropping him a quick swift kiss to the lips.

It made Cissnei physically shiver in delight to watch his mismatch half and half blend of golden and blue luminescent eyes pulse brighter, finally reaching their full intensity again because she had kissed him.

"I'll give you that fifty gil right now if you do that again" he hushed in a gorgeous low voice that made the hairs on her neck stand up. Returning to his mouth Cissnei swallowed her nerves and took the plunge. Kunsel remained neutral but receptive, letting Cissnei approach at her own pace and anxiously explore new grounds. Sure she had been the one to kiss him when she found Kunsel on the battlefield but those were very different circumstances, this was still scarily new. He let her embrace his lower lip with her mouth and never once did their eyes part as their hot mouths came in contact . It was surreal, this new person she was becoming, she was too different from the ruthless Turk to be believable, she was too different to be Cissnei... it was Rekka. Her head spun with that thought and the hesitant wariness of her kiss vanished as her mouth moved to consume all of his and he consumed her back. It was a deeper more meaningful kiss than either of them had ever shared as she came to realize that with him she was no longer Cissnei, she was a completely different person, she was Rekka again, who Rekka could have been. She was so deeply lost in their kiss and his eyes which looked so similar yet put to shame all those stunning pictures and programs we have all at some point seen of the cosmos. His eyes looked brighter and even more wondrous than all of those never-ending galaxies and she melted in his arms that he was letting her explore in them.

"Kunsel" she sighed deeply against his lips, "your eyes are so fucking beautiful."

Her head was a total slur and the words just fell out dumbly, she winced in embarrassment but god did it feel good to finally say it. His hand lifted to stroke the back of her hair as their faces remained pressed together.

"Do you want to know the parts of you I find beautiful? I could send you the list."

"There's a list?" Cissnei purred, lifting her hands to his face, butterflies in her stomach.

"There's a list... a very long list."

She purred again, her fingers gently flexing and gliding through the sides of his stylish bed-head mess of mousy brown hair.

"Don't think flattery will be get you out of paying the fifty gil you now owe me."

"We didn't shake on it" he taunted, kissing the side of her mouth as it fell open.

"Did I tell you you were a git?"

"You might have mentioned it" he grinned leaning back against the headboard and guiding her back with him, this time keeping an arm around her waist. "Ok my go again" he started once they settled back into one another, "how about the golden saucer?"

"Ummm nope"

"You've never been to the golden saucer!?"

"No.. why should I? it's for kids ain't it?"

"You're never too old for the golden saucer! Wow this is unbelievable, we need to put a fix to this asap, this is more serious than I thought."

"I don't think going to a fun fare is top of our priority list right now."

"Sure it is, I got a contact up there, Dio, it might just be an amusement park on the outside but a river of money flows through that place, anything that moves in the Corel region he knows about it. He's also into a lot of other lucrative stuff, I'd bet my last gil he knows something about Sephiroth. All in all makes the golden saucer a must stop off destination."

"Sounds like a pretty elaborate excuse to go play on the swings to me."

"I don't suppose telling you it's also said to be one of the most romantic places on Gaia will convince you?"

"I like you Kunsel Haringer but do I really look like the romance kind of girl to you?"

"Yes Rekka Valentine, yes you do."


	27. Terminal choices

**Chapter 27 Part 1- Terminal choices**

This place, whenever he visited Aerith and Zack here he always thought that this was a different reality, now the tables were turned and he was trapped here, he realized that this was closer to being the real world than any. Everything was here, the life of the planet, its countless souls, its history, its memories, all flowing in one great river that he had not been permitted to join. Despite the fact that he had already saved the world and killed Sephiroth twice they still did not grant him the courtesy of rest. Well technically it was three times now but that was still a topic of great debate, one that he was in no mood to have with them now but knew was coming none the less.

When he returned to be greeted by their unfavourable stares Cloud shot them a silent glare that simply dared them to give him a lecture.

"Your decision may well have just cost the lives of every living soul on the planet"

Cloud rounded on her in anger, though it was exceptionally difficult to do so when she looked so much like Aerith.

"Then why don't you do it!? Why don't you send your own daughter to her death Ifalna!?"

He practically seethed with anger but a rush of guilt quickly dissipated his fury when her face dropped sorrowfully. Still, he wasn't going to apologize.

"You know why, you left us with no choice after the path you chose."

Cloud flicked his eyes towards the man in aggravation, annoyed that he was taking another opportunity to have a stab at him.

"I chose nothing" Cloud growled.

"Let's not do this again..." Ifalna sighed but it was too late, the cat was already out the bag.

"I delivered Sephiroth to the lifestream just as planned, if you couldn't take care of him that's your fault... I'm not gonna let Aerith pay for your mistake."

Angeal shrugged, "no one could have anticipated that Sephiroth would survive and that you would save Zack."

"YOU SENT ME BACK IN PIECES! WHAT DID YOU EXPECT!?" Cloud roared, losing what little patience he had left.

When the planet sent him back they didn't mention that they would only be sending back the bare essentials for him to beat Sephiroth. He had been returned with none of his memories or knowledge and only an ounce of his true strength. For all intents and purposes he was still the young wide-eyed ignorant boy he had once been but with enough strength to finish Sephiroth right at the very start of it all. It had become the planets only choice, the calamity had infected the lifestream and spread her virus so deeply that she could never be defeated without taking the planet with her. Her cells were destined to forever remain in the lifestream and Geostigma would always return, remnants like Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo would always return... Sephiroth would always return, until their goal to destroy and rule the planet was complete.

So they sent him back or more correctly they sent a fragment of him back to kill Sephiroth and stop Jenova before she could spread her plague. Cloud had done his part and had successfully killed Sephiroth by casting him into the pit of mako. The planet had then tried to dissolve and purge the nightmare in the lifestream but he had resisted in a way they did not anticipate, sacrificing every human quality he still had at that point in time to survive, leaving in its place a monster and now history was set to repeat itself.

"The plan was for you to kill Sephiroth, not get yourself killed saving Zack" Angeal remarked dryly.

"Perhaps if you sent me back with my thoughts I would have known that" Cloud grounded out through clenched teeth, not appreciating being reminded of his failure.

"The mistake wasn't saving your friend Cloud" Ifalna began sympathetically, "but ending up here was."

"I didn't have my full strength! I..."

"Yes I know" Ifalna interrupted him "but the planet needs its guardian, you're the only one who can return and stop this."

"But at the cost of Aerith's life!?" Cloud exploded.

"Holy requires a sacrifice, just like last time" Angeal spoke eventually when Ifalna couldn't, "that along with the light that Tifa carries, it's the only way you can go back again, Zack cannot beat Sephiroth and Jenova."

"Like I said... I won't do it."

"Cloud..." Ifalna mourned quietly, "I love my daughter just as much as you, but there really is no other way..."

"Then I guess we'd better start preparing for the planets funeral then" Cloud replied evenly, walking away.

"You realize the others will all die too?... you realize Tifa will die?" Angeal called after him.

Cloud paused, his eyes flashing violently and his hands curling into tight fists at his side as a silent tension hung in the air.

"... don't ever play that card with me again Angeal..." Cloud whispered dangerously and with that he left.

* * *

**Chapter 27 Part 2- Terminal choices**

Cissnei slowly began to stir, the pleasurably warm and cosy bed taunting her to go back to sleep, however confusion kept her from drifting back off as her senses began to wake up . She could feel her hand in her other hand but her other hand was nestled in something deliciously soft and now she was wondering how she had three hands. Her brain cells gradually began switching on one by one and soon she realized with a rush of something incredible that the hand she could feel wasn't hers it was Kunsel's. She was curled face to face with him asleep, still holding his hand from last night while her other hand was buried affectionately in his handsomely roguish hair. Her head, heart, stomach and breath all took turns to flip out and she could almost scream with joy that it was out of happy excitement instead of fear.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep in his bed but they had ended up speaking for so long and she had become so comfortable beside him and in his arms that she must have just drifted off. Slowly slipping a foot out from under the covers where it was entwined with his, Cissnei stealthily shifted out of Kunsel's bed, not wanting to wake him. She made it out half way before a radiant smile spread across her face as she realized that he wasn't really sleeping and she was pulled back into bed.

"Get back here you!" Kunsel hollered cheekily with Cissnei giggling as she landed on top of him and he rolled them both over in the covers playfully. Kunsel rolled her to a stop under him and gazed down at her affectionately, "Sleep well?"

She nodded, feeling a tad tongue-tied as their faces were barely more than twenty centimetres apart and he was almost completely on top of her. Cissnei didn't need to see a mirror to know she was blushing though she showed no shame in it because god he was gorgeous and she didn't care if he knew she was thinking it.

"Well I'm glad to see someone's feeling better" she chuckled.

"After sleeping next to you who wouldn't?"

"I bet with a silver tongue like yours you've had loads of woman in this position" Cissnei remarked, indiscreetly trying to pry about his previous love life.

"Jealous are we?" he grinned tapping the end of her nose lightly with his.

"You know I have a very sharp weapon under this bed don't you?"

"Are you sure?" Kunsel asked in a serious manner creasing his brow, "I checked for my Claymore this morning and I didn't see Rekka under there."

Thoughtlessly Cissnei frowned and shifted from underneath him to hang her torso over the edge of the bed to peer under it. It was only once she saw Rekka sitting there where she'd left it that she caught on to what he was playing at and a wide naughty grin spread across her lips. She flicked her head back round to look at him and just as predicted Kunsel was staring with a flirtatious smirk at her backside that was arched up in the air.

"I can't believe you fell for that one..."

Cissnei bit back her laugh and tried to reprimand him with her eyes but the emphasis was sort of lost by the fact she maintained the position for a bit a longer than what was necessary. She had to admit she was actually liking this.

"And you expect me to go to the golden saucer with you? You know I was warned about men like you" she spoke playfully, crawling over to him on hands and knees until she was hovered over him, surprising herself with her own confidence. He didn't wait long to grab at the material of her shirt just below her chest and pull her gently down to caress her lips with his in a series of long savoured good morning kisses, pulling away slightly between each one to stare into her eyes.

"I wouldn't be going anywhere if it weren't for you Rekka."

He had used her name so Cissnei had to keep kissing him, it seemed like the only thing she could ever do whenever he spoke her real name. With both hands caressing his jaw as she kissed him she adored the feeling of Kunsel's faintly unshaven face and whatever strength she had left to stay up on her knees faded as she collapsed her body against him, hooking both her feet around his leg that was between hers and completely giving in. She revelled in their contact for one long peaceful moment in time, locking this precious encounter away in her mind until she finally had to re-join reality and face what lay ahead of them.

"I guess it's time to go" she whispered pulling away from his lips, not able to keep the reluctance from her voice.

"I guess so" Kunsel replied, "to Junon then?"

Cissnei nodded, warmed to hear the same trace of despondency in his voice though it didn't last long as he transitioned to eager optimism.

"Right then! Let's get going!" Kunsel chirped, trying to act cheery and light-hearted like he always did.

"Need a hand?" Cissnei asked, propping herself up on her elbow and watching Kunsel with concern as he edged away painfully to the end of the bed to try to stand on his feet. "Kunsel no, come back" she insisted pleadingly, sitting up and extending her hand towards him when he looked in too much discomfort.

"Awfully tempting offer but I've held us all up long enough" Kunsel remarked, grunting slightly as he extended himself fully upright.

"Fine, but don't think for one stubborn minute you're carrying anything or fighting any monsters today."

Cissnei went back to leaning against her hand propped up by her elbow, overwhelmingly happy to watch him as he gradually started to move about, speaking as he went.

"We should make it to Junon before mid-afternoon, find out what our pal Rufus is up to and see if we can hitch a ride across the sea."

The normal thing for Cissnei to do at this point would be to say something but she had just watched Kunsel take off his shirt while crossing the room to his pack for a new one and now she was left speechless. Not just by the phenomenal sight that he was almost fully healed but mostly by the incredible physique he had that was enough to send her into a hot flush and made her eyes bug. She always knew that SOLDIER's carried a lot of muscle mass but seeing it in the flesh like this made her dizzy and she couldn't keep her eyes off his strong hard chest, defined muscular arms or his arousingly defined set of abs. Once his other shirt was back on she was left close to panting like a horny school girl and she pouted angrily at him when he caught her gaze with a sly look.

"... you did that on purpose didn't you?" Cissnei smirked, her libido calming down enough to talk again.

"I don't know what you mean" Kunsel chuckled innocently, making her breathing sky-rocket when he reached for his trousers.

"I'm gonna go get changed!" she floundered loudly, almost panicked.

Grabbing Rekka quickly and climbing to her feet she dashed for the door

"Suit yourself" he sniggered.

Realizing he was only teasing her again Cissnei turned back to him at the door giving him a bashful amused stare, shaking her head.

"You're gonna be the death of me."

* * *

**Chapter 27 Part 3- Terminal choices**

"You totally should'a seen it bright-eyes! One minute I was like nyuk! nyuk! nyuk! nyuk! then I was like nyuk! nyuk! nyuk! nyuk!"

"Take it easy with him" Cissnei called back, laughing as Yuffie whirled her arms around robustly in demonstration to Kunsel.

"Sounds almost too amazing to be true" Kunsel grinned, tickled by Yuffie's story telling.

"At one point I was completely surrounded on my own..." Yuffie continued energetically.

"Except I was with you" Zack interjected at the head of the group making Yuffie scowl.

"So me and Zack were surrounded and there were like five-hundred..."

"More like a hundred" Zack added again so Yuffie threw a small pebble at the back of his head.

"So yeah, we're surrounded by hundreds of them and we kicked so much butt I don't think you can even imagine it."

"Oh I'm doing my best" Kunsel laughed, shifting his arm that was around the Wutai princess as it was her turn to gently support him on their walk to Junon.

"Hey bright-eyes... you wanna stop for a bit?" Yuffie asked in a concerned but whispered voice, not wanting to ruin her reputation by being heard to sound caring.

"Another half hour" he replied, grinning at the crown of her head. "Hey Yuffie... can I ask you something?"

"Shoot, you big heavy lump."

"Does your dad know you're here?"

As Kunsel guessed she would, Yuffie stiffened.

"What does that matter?" she replied, trying to sound casual about it.

"Because your father cares about you and he'll want to know you're safe."

They pulled to a halt, Yuffie stepped away from him quickly and Kunsel realized he had hit a sore spot.

"No he doesn't! Dad only cares about making Shinra happy and bowing down to them like a good dog!"

"Yuffie, I know the situation Shinra put him in, signing the treaty was really his only choice."

"WE COULD HAVE FOUGHT BACK! WE WERE STRONG! WE COULD HAVE DONE IT!"

"And you would have all been killed, the fact that Wutai still retained its independence is no small thing, you should be proud of your father for that at least."

"Well I'm not! I hate him! I hate what he's done to Wutai! Mom would never have let it happen."

"I know you don't mean that and I also know Kasumi wouldn't want you talking like that."

Yuffie's eyes tearfully widened that he knew who her mother was.

"STOP! SHUT UP!... you don't know anything!... just leave me alone!"

Yuffie took off passed the others at a sprint and Tifa held up her hand to them to say she would follow her and proceeded to jog after Yuffie.

"Woah what did you say?" Cissnei asked returning to his side.

"Just a few painful truths..." Kunsel mumbled watching the ninja take off with Tifa in pursuit.

Seeing Yuffie run off Aerith came over, offering to help Kunsel as Cissnei had done so a large portion of the way. Cissnei nodded and moved to catch up with Zack and Red to run over the plan once they got to Junon while Barret and Jessie were off talking about something or other, leaving just him and Aerith. She ducked under his arm and Kunsel gently took the support, trying to put as little weight on her as possible. While he didn't like being a burden there was no way he was making it more than a hundred yards on his own.

"Aerith... I want to thank you..." Kunsel began after they had walked for a bit, "for saving my life... the others told me what you did", Kunsel spoke with as much sincerity as his voice could muster.

"Well we couldn't have you die on us or we'd only have Zack to eaves drop in on all our conversations" Aerith joked light-heartedly, beaming up at him but turning serious when she saw the intent look he was giving her. "What's wrong?"

"How did you do it?... save me I mean" he asked gravely.

"I... I just asked the planet to help me heal you."

Kunsel could see she wasn't telling him the full story as she fidgeted under his arm uncomfortably.

"And what did it want in return?"

Aerith took a soft yet noticeable intake of breath and tried to compose herself but she wasn't a very good liar.

"Nothing... I just asked and it responded."

"Aerith if there's one thing I've learned it is that this planet of ours doesn't just give, it takes away aswell, what did it want?"

The Cetra flower girl visibly struggled with how to respond and she started looking emotional so he backed off. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately, perhaps he should go walk with Jessie or Tifa and see if he could make it a clean sweep.

"Just know that whatever price you agreed to pay, I'll be the one to pay it when the time comes. Promise me you'll let me."

Aerith stared up at him with a kind but woeful look about her eyes.

"No Kunsel... that's not a promise I'm going to make."

* * *

**Chapter 27 Part 4- Terminal choices**

Arriving close to the border of Junon they pulled to a stop inside of a rocky clearing where Barret dumped Kunsel onto a stone and plonked down on one of his own.

"Thanks for the help..." Kunsel hissed, massaging at his sore sides, feeling like a police squad had taken batons to his insides.

"Ya' never speak of this again, ya' hear me? Never happened" Barret grunted.

"Care to run the plan by everyone?" Red urged to Zack when they were all sat down resting.

"Right" Zack nodded, "a group this big isn't going to make it far in Junon, so we split into three groups. Me, Aerith and..."

"Surprise, surprise" Yuffie mumbled.

Zack started again, "me, Aerith and you"

"Me!?"

"Yes you Yuffie, we're gonna see if we can take the elevator through the lower town district. Barret, Red and Kunsel, you three will take the easiest route down through the docks"

"Hey! watch'a givin' me tha' baby route fer?" Barret demanded indignantly.

"You three are the least inconspicuous of the group, so..."

"Who ya' callin' incon... whatever tha' fuck you jus' said!?" Barret shouted, waving a fist in the air.

"Come on B, you know it makes sense" Jessie remarked, fiddling with a pair of high distance vision goggles that she picked up from fort Condor and now always wore on her forehead, mostly because they looked awesome, kind of like Reno's except his were motorcycle goggles. Now however they were down over her eyes and she was focusing towards the city in the distance to get a scope on the place.

"So that leaves me, Cissnei and Jessie as a group?" Tifa asked, holding out her hands while Aerith healed them with cure materia, deciding now was the time that her fists needed to be fully operational.

"You three will take the gate nearest the gun, with three woman I shouldn't imagine you'll find it too hard to charm your way passed the guards" Zack chuckled.

"Or knock them out cold" Cissnei pointed out off-handishly making Kunsel crack up.

"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" Aerith questioned.

"Find a way to stow aboard the first ship you find crossing the ocean, there should be one leaving at some point today. In the meantime scout around and see if any of you can dig up anything on the current situation at Shinra... Yuffie are you listening?" Zack aimed at the girl as she gazed off across the nearby sea vacantly.

"Yeah, yeah, kill Shinra, don't get caught.. same old same old" she muttered half-heartedly, not bothering to turn around and still seeming a bit stroppy.

"I didn't say that... never mind" Zack sighed, "we'll see you guys on the other side, be sure to keep in contact."

The group split off with a few last comments, Cissnei looking particularly unhappy to be leaving Kunsel while Barret begrudgingly helped the SOLDIER to his feet. Aerith moved to go tug on the large protective gauntlet Yuffie always wore on her left arm to try to encourage her to cheer up.

"Take care of her" Tifa urged stepping over to stand next to Zack.

"You care about her don't you?" Zack grinned, Tifa always did take on the motherly big sister role.

"It's hard not to" Tifa smiled warmly, watching Yuffie as she began stomping about something unhappily to Aerith.

"Teef... I've been wanting to talk to you about something."

"I know Zack... I'm sorry I kissed you" she whispered so quietly so that even Kunsel wouldn't be able to hear.

"I didn't mean that but I've been confused about that night to."

"It's just, it didn't seem like it was you I was kissing... I mean yeah it was you... but it wasn't you you" Tifa heaved, shaking her head in desperate confusion. "I don't know how but it was Cloud, I just know it was him, he told me I could find him... it was him Zack!" Tifa's voice rose an octave when he gave her an unconvinced look.

While Zack didn't know what it was, it couldn't really be Cloud, he watched his friend die and in his mind when someone was dead they were dead.

"Teef... he's gone..."

"No he isn't!... no he isn't... I can feel it, I could always feel it... I'm gonna find him."

Tifa took a few deep jagged breaths trying to calm herself.

"How else do you explain it Zack? These memories, these..." Tifa looked down at the floor becoming bashfully quiet, "...these feelings between us."

"I know, they belong to Cloud, but how can someone come back when their dead?"

"I don't know, but I know it was him and I trust him. I'm going to find a way."

A silence on the painfully delicate subject hung between them while Tifa busied herself to try and mask her emotions by pulling on her mythril claws, a dangerous weapon she couldn't wear as flippantly as standard gloves.

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" she mumbled sadly getting ready to leave.

"Never mind... another time perhaps."

"You sure?... ok, cya later then I suppose."

Zack nodded with a friendly smile to the martial artist as she moved away uncertainly, concealing the hidden concern he had for her and for the path she had so firmly set herself upon.

"Aerith, Yuffie" Zack called to the pair after watching Tifa walk away, "let's go."

By the looks of it Aerith still hadn't managed to sway Yuffie from the current stubborn temperament she was in and she just stood there refusing to move while Aerith tried tugging on her hand.

"Yuffie come on we gotta go" Zack urged again to no avail. "There's a 'elemental' materia in it for you"

If it was possible for a humans ears to perk up then Yuffie's just did.

"... make it your 'all' materia and you got a deal."

 _Pah_ , Zack needed his 'all' materia, looks like he'd be wasting 2,000 gil at the next materia shop they came across.

"Fine" Zack sighed, unslotting the blue orb and tossing it to the princess

"Rock on!" Yuffie cheered while they began walking towards the entrance to the lower town district.

"You'll end up a very poor man if you keep giving Yuffie materia every time she has a sulk" Aerith giggled by his side.

"Yeah, I'd better not make it a habit" Zack grinned in response while they linked their hands together.

"Can you two stop being gross!" Yuffie hollered from the rear, still running her hands possessively over her new materia.

"I've got another one over her if you want it" Zack laughed teasingly, holding out his other hand to her and making Yuffie wrinkle her face in distaste.

"I'm alright thanks, wouldn't want to make pinko jealous by being near a babe like me."

* * *

**Chapter 27 Part 5- Terminal choices**

Security was incredibly hot even around the poor impoverished lower town district of Junon and now Zack was seriously concerned about the other two groups and the chances they would all manage to go unnoticed. Zack had anticipated that with the return of Rufus the military like state that Heideggar and Scarlet were running would have ended by now, something had to still be going on here.

"Where are all the people?" Aerith whispered from behind a run-down trailer they were hiding behind to scope the place out.

"Beats me, nothing but Shinra dudes everywhere" Yuffie replied, crouched in an excessively flamboyant ninja stealth pose.

There really were no people about, Zack would like to have spoken to a few of the locals to get an idea of what had transpired lately in Junon. While you couldn't rely on the often exaggerated tales of townsfolk, experience told him that if you ask enough people their stories usually end up leading to the same common truths.

"So what do we do now?" Aerith asked, clutching the full metal staff tightly in her grasp.

"I say we get em!"

Zack saw Yuffie's response coming and had a hold of one of her knee-length boots before she could set the whole of Junon off in alarm.

"You know for a ninja you're not very subtle" Zack remarked curtly.

Before Yuffie could say anything in response the three of them were drawn by the sound of a commotion off in the town, leaning around the trailer they all moved to take a look.

"PRISCILLA! GET BACK HERE!"

"But Mr. Dolphin will be hungry!"

A small girl of about seven came running from one of the nearby houses with an elderly man shouting in pursuit.

"HALT! CIVILIANS ARE NOT PERMITTED OUT AT THIS TIME!"

Three Shinra troopers surrounded and grabbed the girl with their guns pointed at her, a rather over dramatic response Zack thought to himself.

"Wait! Don't shoot! Please!"

The man who Zack guessed was the girls grandfather came running down the stairs and was grabbed up by the collar by one of the guards.

"Don't you know it's a twenty-four hour curfew old man!?"

"Please! She's just a child, she doesn't know any better!"

"I want to see Mr. Dolphin!"

The girl Priscilla continued to squeal and struggle and Zack jolted from behind the trailer when one of the troopers put his hand across the child's face viciously.

"No Zack! don't!" Aerith grabbed him and held him back from going out there.

"That little punk!" Zack spat angrily, "I would have had him doing laps of the SOLDIER yard for months for that!... wait... where's Yuffie?"

"HEY JACKASSES! WHY DON'T YOU TRY PICKING ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!"

"Shit!" Zack cursed loudly.

The guards dropped the old man and small girl and approached Yuffie laughing as she stood there with her hands on her hips. The second one of them put their hands on her Zack knew all hell was about to break loose.

"Aerith I want you to stay here and stay out of sight."

She nodded and Zack ran out to the sound of one loud snap as the trooper who put his hand on Yuffie regretted his decision and began screaming loudly. The attention of the entire area was drawn to the noise and before long a loud alarm was bellowing out while Yuffie crushed the remaining two troopers into the dust as Priscilla and her grandfather ran back inside.

"Not good Yuffie!" Zack warned arriving at her back with his weapon drawn as Shinra troopers ran over to surround them.

"At least I get to try this out now" Yuffie cheered channeling the 'all' and 'ice' materia in her Shuriken.

The first four guards to arrive were all pummelled with shards of magic ice and were thrown back across the road.

"AWESOME!" Yuffie whooped loudly.

A fight ensued in the streets of the run down town as every guard in the area came running over guns ablaze. Once again Zack found himself fighting shoulder to shoulder with Yuffie and the trust that she put in him to cut bullets out of the air to stop her from getting shot seemed so uncharacteristic of her independent nature. Thankfully Aerith remained hidden though Zack knew that if either of them got hurt she would be out in an instant so he picked up the pace of his attacks and the troopers started falling in quick succession.

It always felt so strange fighting alongside another person, in SOLDIER he had always relied on his own strength and skill to fight. Now Zack found it intriguing that being side by side with the Wutai princess he seemed to adopt aspects of her fighting style while she did his as they began working in unison. His attacks became more artistic and supple while hers became more powerful and direct. It was always in these moments battling beside her that he could always find the most respect for Yuffie.

"Fancy finishing this off?" Zack grinned over to Yuffie after they had dispatched the majority of the enemy.

"Thought you'd never ask"

She flashed him her big pearly white grin and they both kicked their current attackers off their feet. Each taking a deep breath they turned towards the large pack of troopers rushing into the town, each focusing and channelling their limit breaks. Yuffie's 'landscaper' and Zack's 'blade beam' tore through the pavement in a combination of violent waves of green and blue energy, sending the squad of attackers up in a powerful explosion that rocked the entire town. The few troopers that still remained fled at the sight of what they had just unleashed until it was only the two of them that remained.

"You know we totally rock" Yuffie panted, both catching their breath.

"We?" Zack heaved in amusement giving her a nudge, "is miss Kisaragi really paying another person a compliment!?"

"Pfff.. don't get too used to it, but yeah I s'pose you did ok."

There friendly exchange was cut off by the door to the elevator leading up to the main sector of Junon opening and a whole new wave of troopers and even SOLDIER's came charging out in their direction.

"These guys don't give up" Yuffie huffed, readying her weapon as the enemy surrounded them.

Zack became alert, shifting around the small ninja protectively as what had been an easy skirmish had now become a very dangerous situation with the arrival of SOLDIER's. He eyed a nearby building and took a hold of Yuffie's wrist with a plan to throw her up there out of harm's way if they attacked. The SOLDIER's and troopers however remained steady with guns and swords pointed at them but made no move to attack.

"Well, well, well, I wondered when you would show up, did you miss me?"

Zack and Yuffie twirled around to see Rufus Shinra striding passed two saluting SOLDIER, into the circle the troops had formed around them.

"Rufus.." Zack muttered in a monotone voice.

"Where are the others Zack?" the president chimed, casually walking up to Yuffie and him, as always showing no care or caution for his own safety.

"Their kicking back at the fort and having a whale of a time" Yuffie smirked, keeping her eyes on Rufus as he absently strolled around them.

"I'm sure" Rufus chuckled, "put the city on high alert" he ordered over his shoulder and two troopers dashed away to the elevator. "Not that I really care where the others are mind you, though I would like to know where Aerith is."

Zack shifted his stance threateningly towards Rufus, if he wanted to know where Aerith was then that could only mean he had begun to take an interest in the promised land.

"Do we have a problem now Rufus?" Zack warned with a deadly tone.

Rufus chuckled lightly, pushing back a bang of blonde hair, "I'm not interested in going through a load of melodramatics Fair, you can either come quietly or fight and risk this little princess getting shot."

"Hey back off creep!" Yuffie growled as Rufus rolled a strand of her jet black hair between his fingers.

There was a tense pause while his mind tried to work a way out of this tight situation but with no success.

"After you then" Zack sneered, waving his hand towards the elevator.

They were escorted towards the lift heading into Junon by the contingent, Zack quickly peered over his shoulder to catch Aerith's panicked eyes still keeping hidden on the other side of the town. Now she was on her own.


	28. Revealing disguises

**Chapter 28 Part 1- Revealing disguises**

If Jessie was completely honest this was fiercely exhilarating, sneaking down the corridors of the Shinra head quarters, narrowly avoiding capture and often being only one head turn away from being caught.

"And you did this every day for a living?" Jessie panted in amazement after two troopers had marched passed the shadow of the doorway the three of them were crouched in.

"Pretty much" Cissnei replied absent-mindedly, staring out down the corridor to see if it was all clear.

Jessie let out a low whistle in awe, though it came out somewhat shaky from the amount of adrenaline she had pumping through her right now.

"This doesn't seem right" Cissnei whispered, narrowing her eyes around the place.

"How'd you mean?" Tifa asked, instinctively reaching for Jessie but stopping less she wanted to slash the girls arms up with her mythril claws.

"It should be busier than this"

"Sounds like a blessing to me" Jessie whispered to the Turk.

"A blessing for us... a nightmare for someone else" Tifa mumbled, implying the others might be running into some extra difficulty.

"Let's go" Cissnei urged ghosting down the corridor with the two AVALANCHE females close behind.

They passed down more dark blue carpet lined corridors and Jessie smirked, Shinra sure seemed to like that color. Their destination was the controls room that operated the incredible two-hundred foot cannon built into the heart of the city that pointed out across the ocean. While they had no plan on taking control of the deadly weapon, the computer network operating it would allow them access to invaluable information on all of Shinra's current on-goings.

As always for Jessie and Cissnei, walking into a room of machines and computers was like how walking into a store of half-price designer handbags was for most women. Tifa smiled as she watched the two eagerly approaching the equipment in the dark room, herself remaining near the door to keep a look out .

"You coming up with anything?" Cissnei called over her shoulder after they had trawled away at Shinra's database for ten or so minutes.

"Bits..." Jessie replied, "looks like Shinra have planned an excavation program on the destroyed reactor at Corel, I'm guessing that's where they plan on finding their next huge materia"

Jessie continued sifting over information, quite a lot of which was on neo-Midgar plans, Shinra really had gone into some serious depth with the planning of the place, they clearly believed it would really happen.

"Woah... check this out"

Tifa and Jessie crossed over to Cissnei's monitor to see an up-link of video footage on the screen.

"... are those?" Tifa began.

"SOLDIER'S fighting SOLDIER's" Jessie finished in confusion. "What the heck is going on? why are Shinra fighting other Shinra?"

"I think I can guess why..." Cissnei mumbled. Tapping away again the Turk accessed the Shinra personnel database and pulled up two files. The profiles of Heideggar and Scarlet appeared on-screen, both with large boldly printed 'wanted' labels across their employment statuses.

"For crimes of treason, theft, war mongering..." the list went on and on and Jessie's mumbling petered out.

"It looks like Heideggar and Scarlet aren't so willing to give up their new found powers now they've had a taste of it. It seems they have seized control of Midgar and Rufus has taken Junon, they've divided SOLDIER in a power struggle... Shinra are at civil war with each other..."

"It would go towards explaining why they're keeping so much military activity out there instead of here in base..." Jessie guessed, though it came off more as a question.

"This changes things considerably..." Cissnei spoke to herself, pulling the video footage back up of SOLDIER's fighting in the streets of Midgar.

"For the better right? surely if the enemy are busy fighting themselves that's a good thing?" Tifa frowned.

"It's not as black and white as that I'm afraid.."

Cissnei's voice cut off as the door behind them was opened, catching them off guard as Tifa had moved to stare at the monitor instead of keeping watch. All three woman bolted alert to see a Shinra trooper burst into the room, slam the door behind them and duck to peer out of the window. Jessie, Tifa and Cissnei stood still, not entirely sure how to react as the trooper had not seen them in the dark room and was peering warily out the window as if they were the one on the run.

"Fuckin' queer ass outfits... bunch'a phaggots"

All three woman watched rather perplexed as the trooper mumbled angrily under his breath and tugged the tight trooper uniform out of his backside in a less than dignified fashion. Smoke was rising from the top of the mans helmet and they exchanged glances with one another in puzzlement about the strange character and what to do.

Cissnei reached for a nearby cord of computer cabling and nodded to Tifa and Jessie who got the message and stalked behind the trooper slowly. Just as they got close enough his head turned slightly forcing them to pounce early.

"The fuck!?"

Tifa lunged with a boot to kick the trooper to his knees but the man caught her by the ankle, almost flipping her off her feet but Tifa skillfully managed to keep her balance on one leg. Cissnei dashed around the side to try to catch his arms and restrain him but the man was quick and he palmed her less than delicately in the chest with his free hand to shove her back.

"Woah! easy tiger!"

Tifa swiped at him with one of her claws but he quickly leaned back in time to avoid the slash and used his free foot to kick the martial artist off her feet. Tifa hit the floor hard but instantly latched onto his leg while Cissnei pounced onto his tall back, grappling her arms around his neck and linking her legs around his torso in the most powerful grapple a girl her size could use against a man of his. Jessie watched rather stunned at how to assist against the struggling man but saw her opportunity when Tifa and Cissnei started tipping him off-balance to bring him down to the ground. Running Jessie dove at his mid-rift to charge him off his feet but landed slightly lower than her intended targeted area.

"Easy darlin'! I'll stop struggling if that's what ya' after!"

They brought him to the ground, winding Cissnei and making her grunt as he fell backwards and landed on top of her still latched around him.

"Get him arms!" Tifa urged to Jessie while restraining his legs.

Jessie grabbed the cabling and tied the mans arms together who simply gave up and kept them out in front for her with each middle finger up in the air. After his hands were tied Cissnei untangled from the trooper as did Tifa and they propped him up against the wall. The intention was to see what information they could get out of him on his orders and on Shinra.

The three woman stood staring at the trooper for a second who just sat there quietly with his head cocked slightly to one side staring right back.

"What the hell is that?" Jessie questioned as smoke continued to rise from the mans helmet.

Cissnei stepped forward and yanked the troopers helmet off and a rugged looking man in about his mid thirties with short blonde hair stared back at them with a big flashy grin and a lit cigarette bit between his cocky display of teeth.

"Well shit, last time I had three chicks on me like this I had ta' pay fer' it"

The man had a rough but intriguing voice and a cow-boy like accent that combined with his appearance almost made him a walking stereotype.

"Quit the slick act country-boy and tell us what your orders are" Cissnei demanded threateningly, holding out Rekka.

The man cocked his head the other way and smirked at the barely five foot woman in amusement, "well looky here, ain't you jus' the cutest li'l button I ever did see"

Tifa slipped off one of her claws and stepped forward towards the man aggressively, "you'd better start talking"

"Watch'a gonna do doll?" the man scoffed with a slight laugh eyeing Tifa up, "beat me ta' death with those massive tits'a yours? coz I'd be down fer that"

Tifa swung her clawless fist and connected with a loud smack against the side of the mans face. He took the hit pretty well, his head turning just barely as he hissed while drawing heavily on the fag in his mouth before billowing it in Tifa's direction.

"'Ad a girlfriend like you once, feisty bitch but the sex sure was great"

Another punch across the mans face and his smirk dropped slightly to annoyance as he lost the cigarette from his mouth.

"Ya' ever heard'a the rule that three hits and a bloke gets ta' smack a girl back?"

"Why were you hiding trooper?" Jessie asked just as Tifa was about to punch him again.

The man eyed them for a while before leaning his head forward awkwardly into the inside of his jacket beneath the Shinra uniform and coming back up with a new fag in his mouth.

"Sweetheart, do I look like'a fuckin' trooper to ya'?"

Jessie had to admit he looked far from being a disciplined military rookie.

"Then what are you doing here, who are you?" Jessie quizzed.

"Light this fer' me an I'll consider tellin' ya'"

The man wiggled his eyes at his trouser pocket with a sly grin making Jessie sigh in exasperation.

"Look guy, my friend here is gonna beat you to a pulp if you don't start talking and my other friend here's an ex-Turk, she has ways of making people speak"

Jessie tried to sound as threatening as she could, if there was one thing that struck fear into people it was the Turks. The blonde haired man turned casually to Cissnei who stood looking as menacingly Turk like as possible, a pose that usually had most people cowering in fear.

"Well good fer you, whach'a want button? a candy bar?"

He grinned mockingly at Cissnei and Tifa made to slug him in the gut but Jessie quickly put her hand up.

"This is pointless..." she huffed bending down to reach into his pocket. The gall of this fella was off the charts and if even a Turk couldn't scare him then beating him wasn't going anywhere fast.

She reached into his trousers and he winked at her flirtatiously as she fished around for his lighter.

"There's nothing in here" Jessie grit through clenched teeth.

"Ain't it?... oh that's right it's in ma' jacket pocket... silly me" he chuckled.

This time Tifa did slug him in the gut making the man double over.

"Oh I like you..." he wheezed as the air escaped him.

Snatching at his jacket roughly Jessie grabbed the mans lighter and lit his damn cigarette which he sucked on instantly and sighed in relief.

"Now get talking" Cissnei growled.

He sat silent for a moment before rolling his eyes and giving up.

"Fuck it... you babes obviously ain't Shinra... I'm here ta' get my baby back"

"Your baby?" Jessie asked impatiently.

"Yeah my baby the Highwind, Shinra cunts stole her off me a year ago an I'm takin' her back"

"What's the Highwind?" Tifa asked, wincing at his harsh vulgar language.

"I's only the most beautiful airship ya' ever did see, named after her daddy, handsome ol' me. Cid Highwind's the name, now kindly untie me and piss off"

"Do you have to swear all the time?" Tifa demanded.

"Do you have ta' wear a T-shirt that shows off so much'a those big jugs'a yours?"

Tifa snarled at him in disgust which he seemed to take great enjoyment from.

"Look Cid" Cissnei approached the man still slumped against the wall on the floor with hands tied. "You obviously don't like Shinra and neither do we, you ever heard of Zack Fair?"

"Yeah I heard'a him, he's the whole reason I'm here"

"Why's that?" Cissnei pressed.

"When I saw that jumped up little prick on tha' telly I knew he'd be brewin' a shit storm over at Shinra, guessed it was the perfect chance ta' steal back the Highwind while everything got all crazy like. Then when I saw SOLDIER leaving base I stole this poxy uniform, snuck in here and got jumped by three horny bit..."

"Yeah we get the picture" Cissnei interrupted, "look, we're with Zack Fair so you know we're against Shinra, for all intents and purposes we're on the same side. We need a ride across the sea and you need your ship back, lets say we help you get the Highwind back and you take us where we need to go, we got a deal?"

Cid eyed each of them in consideration of the proposal.

"Nah"

The three of them shifted towards him angrily in unexpected aggravation that he said no.

"Whoa! chill! I'm pullin' ya' leg... sheesh so pent-up... none'a ya' got boyfriends I'm guessin'? cos ya' clearly aint gettin' any relief"

Jessie turned to look at Cissnei entirely on reflex as did Tifa making the Turk recoil in surprise.

"What are you looking at me for!?"

They both quickly turned back, were Cissnei and Kunsel an item yet? It seemed that way at times.

"As lovely as yer legs are ladies" Cid drooled, eyeing mostly at Tifa's naked long never-ending legs, "can yer get yer new captain off the floor?"

Cissnei swung Rekka with a quick flick and cut his bonds. Climbing to his feet the first thing Cid did was take a drag on his fag and then point it at the three of them.

"First things first, You girls need ta' get ya'selves some'a these ass munchin' trooper outfits"

Cid's inappropriate tugging at the back and the crotch of his outfit was interrupted and Jessie jumped to the sound of a long loud siren being played out throughout the building. Cid looked up with a raised eyebrow and took another relaxed drag on his cigarette.

"An' it might be a good idea if yer quick about it"

* * *

**Chapter 27 Part 2- Revealing disguises**

"I really didn't want it to have to come to this Fair but you really are very unreasonable". Rufus was leaning against the open door frame to the cell that he and Yuffie had just been escorted to, "you can all go free right now if you just give me Aerith, consider it a loan, I promise I'll hand her back in one piece"

"You think we were born yesterday you big twirp! you wouldn't let us go even if we did!" Yuffie snarled, being gently restrained from attacking by the back of Zack's hand against her shoulder.

"Oh contraire, I need you just as much as I need the ancient"

"And why's that?" Zack growled.

"Isn't it obvious, I need you to kill Sephiroth or throw yourselves in his way long enough for me to deal with Heideggar and Scarlet. You see unlike my father I know the limits of my capabilities and I can't fight both enemies on all fronts"

"Well we're not giving you Aerith, period!" Zack glared.

"Yes you said", Rufus sighed, "never mind... I'll just keep you in here and she'll deliver herself right to my doorstep. Then I can let you go so you can get on with handling Sephiroth on my behalf... everyone wins" Rufus chuckled, swiping at his neat blonde hair.

Zack smirked back at Rufus though his voice spoke with deadly warning, "keep trying to use Aerith to get to the promised land buddy and you'll end up like your father, except if it isn't Sephiroth's sword through your back... it'll be mine"

"Come now Zachary, there's no need to be like that, we want the same things more than you care to realize"

"Hey creep ball! we ain't giving you Zack's girlfriend so why don't you just get lost!"

Rufus eyed Yuffie in amusement, "very well then, please enjoy your stay".

Rufus slammed the door closed on them and the electronic lock whirred shut as a light above the door switched from green to red.

"Bastard..." Yuffie grumbled under her breath. "Well Zack... I errr... I guess it's just you and me now"

"That a problem?" Zack asked, kicking back on the hard plastic bench in the cell.

"No!.. I mean no.. not at all" Yuffie giggled nervously and then threw herself face down on the single bed in the room.

"So Yuffie, this all still worth it for a load of materia?"

"Mmmmm hmmmmm" she muffled into the pillow in response.

Zack sighed, "come on Yuff... open up a bit will ya?"

Yuffie's head came away from the pillow and she sat up to sit cross-legged on the bed facing him.

"What do you mean?"

"Look I know you're not after materia for yourself, you want it for Wutai don't you?"

Yuffie stared down at her legs, picking at the laces of her boots.

"What's it to you.." she mumbled quietly.

"Well I'm your friend" Zack grinned sitting upright also, "friends help each other right?"

Yuffie looked up at him as if he had just told her she had super powers and could fly.

"We're... friends?"

Zack laughed, "well I thought so, unless you think differently?"

"But it's only because I wouldn't leave you alone... no one wanted me here... you just put up with me because you got a mission to finish and I can help..."

"Hey that's not true!", Zack insisted sternly, moving to sit next to Yuffie, "sure you're loud, crazy and we all want to kill you at times for some of the pranks you pull, but that's what families are all about right? Even if you don't return to your real one, you'll always have us"

Yuffie stared up at him with wide teary eyes and Zack couldn't help but smile at how deeply his words seemed to have moved her.

"Zack... that means alot to me..." Yuffie choked quietly. She smiled brightly back at him through almost leaking eyes and then quickly wiped at her face and shoved him in the arm, "... you big soppy idiot!"

"Get in here you" Zack hollered cheerily, grabbing the princess into a half hug, half headlock as she pushed him.

"GEROF ME JUUU BIG OAF!"

Zack spoke into Yuffie's hair while laughing over her muffled giggle as she pinched at his leg to be set free, "That's no way to talk to your... ow!... fighting partner... ow!"

"So we're partners now are we?" Yuffie sang, pouting up at her mess of hair once Zack released her but still kept an arm slung around her small shoulders.

"Like you said, we totally rock right?", Zack threw her a light punch in the arm.

"Yeah we do!... but... I know I'm not as good as you"

To see the raw honesty for once in Yuffie's face was really something, it felt like something special and rare that he should feel privileged to see.

"Yuff don't say that, you're only sixteen, hell when I was sixteen I'd been a cadet and trooper for three years and I still couldn't do the kind of things I've seen you capable of"

"You joined the army when you were thirteen!?"

"Yep, ran away from home without telling my parents, faked my age by a year and well.. the rest is history"

"Do you think that... I mean you can say no if you want to..."

"Come on, say it" Zack urged rattling her shoulders with the affectionate arm he had around the little ninja.

"... can you train me?"

Zack had to do a double-take, it was the last thing he was expecting Yuffie to ask of him.

"I want to be the best and I'll try my absolute..."

"I'd love to" Zack interrupted quickly with a huge smile, he could see so much of his younger self in Yuffie it was outstanding. They'd both run away from home when they were young, her current ambitions to be the best and prove herself to her family were once his own, not to mention at her age Zack also had a hyperactivity that would have strongly rivaled the princesses.

In truth he would gladly take Yuffie under his wing and teach her, while she was a good fighter there were so many things she could still learn and now Zack's head surged with lessons and training schedules. The mindset brought back such a rush of feelings and memories of when he was an instructor in SOLDIER, a time that he cannot deny had been some of the best times of his life. That feeling of pride you got as you watched one of your students grow and develop, it was a feeling like none other. He hoped he had given Angeal that feeling...

"Wakey wakey, fancy joining me back on Gaia?"

"Sorry" Zack jumped, snapping too as Yuffie giggled.

"Care to explain why you were just staring off into space with a goofy smile?"

"Hey my smile ain't goofy!" Zack defended, pushing the side of Yuffie's head.

"Kinda is" she replied pushing his right back, "so come on, spill, what was you thinking about?"

"Just about how much you remind me of myself when I was your age and about all the horrific, torturous training sessions I'm gonna make you endure"

"Ummmm.. any chance I can change my mind about those lessons?"

"No chance" Zack chuckled.

A loud long siren broke the humor and started wailing out faintly on the other side of the thick metal door they were being held behind making Yuffie and Zack look up at the ceiling.

"Uh oh..." Yuffie tuned.

Then a few seconds later the distinct transition of a red light turning green from the corner of their eyes caught the attention of both SOLDIER and ninja. The electronic door fell open by itself to an empty corridor and Zack stood to his feet. Turning to Yuffie he held his hand out to the princess with an enthusiastic grin.

"You ready to rock?"

Grabbing his hand eagerly Yuffie leaped to her feet with a cheer.

"You bet partner!"

* * *

**Chapter 28 Part 3- Revealing disguises**

"This standing around all day is so lame! I didn't join SOLDIER for this crap"

"I bet you won't be thinking it's so lame if the guy with the black cape shows up"

"Pffff bunch'a ghost stories"

"So are you telling me all those dead SOLDIER that have been showing up all stabbed themselves?... idiot"

"Who you calling an idiot!?"

Aerith ceased her eavesdropping and moved along as a heated argument between the two troopers ensued. The ventilation shaft was horrid and cramped and her dress kept getting snagged, it was so badly ripped now that she might aswell have just been wearing a mini-skirt.

The man in the black cape the men were talking about, it must have been Sephiroth she mused as she crawled along quietly on hands and knees. After panicking for a number of minutes when Zack and Yuffie got captured, Aerith had pulled herself together and followed in the direction that they were taken. While she didn't terribly enjoy or excel at fighting and subterfuge, she had to try and save them, she was the only one who knew they had been taken. While a painful swirl of nerves and fear churned in her stomach there was also a mix of excitement in there as well. Just imagine if she actually managed to pull this off all by herself, wouldn't everyone be surprised?

She continued through the claustrophobia inducing metal coffin, catching glimpses of various random rooms throughout the Junon headquarters and moving along, not that she was exactly sure what she was supposed to be looking for. The sound of a mans voice or more specifically two mens voices that she recognized had Aerith taking a left at a crossroads she came across.

Arriving at the sound and peering through the vents she looked into an office like room that was still in the process of being moved into or out of.

"Latest reports say he was last seen around the mountains surrounding Corel sir"

"That is all well and good but are we any closer to finding out what he wants?"

Aerith felt a flutter, It was Tseng and Rufus. Looking at them both she didn't know whether to feel angry, happy or scared towards the two men who had both saved her life at some point and yet both seemed intent on ruining it at the same time. She didn't know how to feel so Aerith just settled on becoming overly emotional instead.

"I've got Reno and Rude tracking his movements closely, while I don't have any clear reports yet, we have reason to believe he is after a weapon"

Tseng stood in the center of the room with his usual expressionless aloof demeanor while Rufus sat at an empty desk massaging his temples.

"What kind of weapon are we talking about here?" Rufus heaved.

"The kind that a lunatic looking to destroy the world might be interested in" was Tseng's casual reply.

"Keep on it. Now what about the hits on Heideggar and Scarlet?"

"I've pulled two of my Turks from Mideel and Wutai along with Elena, they'll take the opportunity when it arises"

"I hope you recognize the necessity that they are both dispatched Tseng"

Aerith watched barely daring to breath, she was right above Rufus Shinra's head and in direct view of Tseng's face. When his eyes flicked up and caught sight of her she almost yelped and recoiled hitting the back of her head against the ceiling of the vent.

"Tseng?" Rufus questioned in confusion when the man didn't answer, luckily not hearing Aerith's bang.

Aerith trembled as Tseng's eyes burned into hers, knowing that she was caught. However when Rufus began to turn Tseng quickly spoke up and looked away.

"Yes!... yes, we all realize the importance here"

"...good, dismissed"

Tseng nodded to Rufus and turned to leave but not before casting her one last brief look. When the door closed behind Tseng, Aerith's frozen breath toppled out shakily and she could feel the wet streaks running down her hot cheeks. Tseng had let her go, he had seen her and hadn't tried to capture her. Once again all the care and affection she had for Tseng, who all her childhood life she had seen as a second parent and a friend, tumbled out. Not that it ever really left her in the first place.

Swallowing the lump in her throat Aerith brushed her face and cheeks, she couldn't do this right now, Zack and Yuffie were relying on her. Crawling on awkwardly with the full metal staff under her hand, the next time she stopped was above a room filled with monitors being lazily observed by a guard reclining in his chair with his feet up on the desk. Like every room she passed, Aerith gave it a quick sweep with her eyes and almost immediately she saw a screen that was monitoring Zack and Yuffie in a cell they'd been placed in.

This was her chance! gripping the grooves in the vents Aerith tried to open it but the thing was so heavy she was having to use all of her strength just to budge it. They always made it look so easy in the movies. Once the vent was almost free the plan was to quietly lower it so as not to alert the guard but the moment she shimmied it free of its bracket it dropped like a lead brick, dragging her with it as she tried to slow its decent. She dropped ungraciously from the high ventilation shaft and into the room, hitting the floor with a soft thud.

_Owch that hurt_

Eyes squeezed shut Aerith waited for a pair of hands to yank her to her feet and march her away to prison. When nothing happened she opened her eyes to see the guard still sat in his seat and she sighed in relief to see a pair of earphones in the mans ears while he tapped away at a coffee mug in his hand.

Hauling herself up off the floor Aerith brushed herself down and moved closer to the man with her staff held out in front of her. She didn't like hurting people, especially when they weren't directly attacking her themselves, but she didn't have much choice.

"I'm sorry" she squeaked at the back of his head and channeled a lightning attack at the unsuspecting man, keeping the spell as light as she could.

The guard jolted around as a crack of electric rattled his body and he dropped off the chair onto the floor. Aerith had a little panic attack on the spot as he kept on moving and she squealed as his rough hand shot out and grabbed the top of her leg. Clutching her staff she silently apologized again and clonked the man over the head who thankfully dropped to the floor unmoving.

Rushing over to the controls desk Aerith looked at the monitor again and could see Zack and Yuffie sat together cross-legged on a bed, shoving and laughing with each other, it was a sweet sight to see. A big red button in the middle of the control panel called to her to be pressed and Aerith chewed her lip anxiously, it looked like the kind of button that would open a door, but it also looked like the kind of button that would start an alarm. With all the hundreds of other smaller buttons looking identical it was her best bet. Hitting the big red button a long loud siren sounded out making Aerith jump.

_Nope, guess that is the alarm_

Flustered and now in serious trouble Aerith smacked every button on the control board with the flat of her hands until the door in Zack and Yuffie's room along with a number of other people's cells swung open.

She could already hear the rushing of footsteps and the vent was incredibly high on the wall that it would take a while to climb back into. Reacting on the spot she ran out of the room into some dark blue carpet lined corridors. She made a run for it but didn't make it very far before having to take cover behind a recess in the wall as the sound of troopers came barreling around the corner. Aerith watched in hiding as four odd-looking troopers ran passed, one with smoke rising from his helmet and another quite obviously female trooper who had quite a lot of her breasts on display as her outfit wouldn't fit over her large chest. Aerith didn't know if she had ever seen a female trooper before.

Once the coast was clear Aerith continued running in the opposite direction and after getting suitably lost, slowed down to try and work some logic into her aimless running. Before she even had time to think she heard footsteps again and made to start sprinting but she was too late. Three troopers spotted her and a wall light beside her shattered loudly, showering her with glass.

They'd shot at her! they had really shot at her! an action they were most likely going to get in serious trouble for as surely Rufus wanted her alive not dead. On the run and completely petrified Aerith tried to escape the other way but it was just her luck that more troopers appeared at the other end of the corridor. Frantically looking about while under gunfire the flower girl took the only option remaining to her and climbed up a nearby ladder, practically flying up them as a sharp high-pitched bullet pinged off the rung just below her.

Climbing into some kind of engine room Aerith tried to close the open hatchway to stop her pursuers but unlike the ventilation hatch the thing wouldn't even budge. They started climbing up the ladder and she knew if she was going to stand any chance of running from these men out to kill her, she needed to start breathing properly as her breath was hitching and crashing from her lungs in out of control terror. She ripped on the handles of two nearby random doors for any kind of escape, both doors were locked and Aerith knew that if the third didn't work then she was going to be shot. Finally some guardian force started looking over her and the door opened, she charged up a flight of iron stairs to the sound of gunfire and splintering metal at her heels. Exiting through another door at the top Aerith was immediately struck by strong winds and open sky. Running along a large concrete and metal bridge she ran as fast as she could while keeping her balance as the gale around her tried to shove her to the floor.

She couldn't count them but briefly turning as she ran Aerith would guess she had six or seven troopers after her and they were gaining fast. The bridge stretched on into seemingly nothingness and it was only after she looked around and got closer to the end that she realized it really did end in nothingness. The world on all three sides of her was surrounded in ocean and it dawned on her this was no bridge, this was the massive Junon cannon turret she was running along. Heart thundering in her chest and though it was pointless, Aerith continued running towards the blue abyss ahead of her as the stretch of platform beneath her feet slowly started to run out.

From this height jumping would probably kill her, but what choice did she really have left?


	29. Flames and shadows

**Chapter 29 Part 1- Flames and shadows**

_Heart thundering in her chest and though it was pointless, Aerith continued running towards the blue abyss ahead of her as the stretch of platform beneath her feet slowly started to run out._

_From this height jumping would probably kill her, but what choice did she really have left?_

Running recklessly for the end of the line in her torn dress, the frigid strong winds whipping at her bare legs, it was surreal the feeling of calm that washed over Aerith. She had been petrified that the troopers had shot at her and were still shooting at her, but now as she approached what logic could only reason was her death, she no longer felt afraid. This wasn't going to be the end, she wasn't destined to die this way as every part of her just knew that the planet had a plan for her and it wasn't to fall here.

When the wind picked up even further and the loud whir of what sounded like five or six helicopter blades pummeled the sky, Aerith had no clue who or what it was but knew it had to be rescue.

As the sound approached closer and the gale picked up Aerith began to find it difficult to keep running. A face full of long chestnut curls billowing across her face and a dangerously close twang of a bullet ricocheting off the platform close at her ankle and the flower girl lost balance. Tripping forward onto both hands Aerith winced as her arms jarred painfully, though her soft grunt was completely drowned out by the hurricane of loud engines.

"AERITH!, AERITH GET ON! GET UP! RUN!"

Seeing Tifa aboard the colossal airship labeled 'Highwind' as it rose up on the horizon was the blessing Aerith had been praying for. Where or how Tifa, Jessie and Cissnei had acquired such a machine was not something she could think about right now.

"JESSIE STOP!" she heard Tifa cry.

Next thing Aerith knew before she could climb back to her feet was the second youngest member of their group at eighteen was by her side. Jessie grabbed the underside of Aerith's arm and pulled her to her feet.

"Close your eyes!"

Aerith obeyed the redhead's order, however she was slightly too late and a stunning white light from a flash-bang grenade thrown at the troopers closing in on them made her see stars.

"Come on! it's time to go!" Jessie insisted urgently.

Blindly following after the arm pulling her Aerith tried to vocalize that they needed to ensure Zack and Yuffie had escaped but she was hardly able to breathe from the merciless sprint she had been through, let alone speak.

"Aerith! jump!"

Whether Jessie was unaware that she couldn't see or just failed to tell her in time, the platform disappeared from beneath Aerith's feet, missing the gap between the cannon and the Highwind. A pair of small hands snatched at the red cardigan around her shoulders and she was pulled roughly across the void, falling straight forward onto a combination of hard metal floor and something soft and distinctly human shaped. With her hands Aerith reached out to the form trapped beneath her, inappropriately groping an obviously female face with blurry eyes slowly focusing in on deep flame orange hair.

"Cissnei?"

"In trouble again I see missy" the Turk replied with a grin through slightly crushed lungs.

"Sorry" she giggled bashfully in return.

"Aerith... you can let go of my face now"

Rapidly removing her hands molesting Cissnei's face she quickly climbed off the Turk and was on her feet for approximately two seconds before the airship lurched forward planting Aerith straight back down onto her rear.  
"Where's Zack and Yuffie!?" Tifa asked hurriedly, offering out her hand and pulling Aerith to her feet, all of them unsteady on the turbulent craft.

"Rufus captured them, I got them out but I don't know for sure if they escaped, we need to wait for them!"

Of course nothing could ever be that simple and a series of loud cannon and gunfire shots from the port of Junon tore into the side of the Highwind. The impact sent Jessie toppling to the floor with only the expertly trained Cissnei and Tifa staying on their feet. Luckily Tifa still had a hold of Aerith preventing her from hitting the deck again who was beginning to feel about as balanced as a baby giraffe.

"I don't think waiting is going to be an option" Jessie yelled above the blitz, dragging herself up and clutching onto the nearby railing.

"We have to.."

"We have to get out of the open is what we need to do" Tifa cut Aerith off as a storm of bullets swarmed the deck they were stood on. Grabbing Aerith and Jessie with Cissnei in tow, Tifa pulled them below deck and through the impressive ship to the main controls room.

"Oh I've missed you baby!... FUCK! STOP SHOOTIN' AT ME FUCKING SHIP!"

"Who's that?" Aerith gasped, hearing the gruff blonde captain before seeing him.

"This is Cid" Jessie explained with a chuckle.

The man frantically maneuvering the large wheel turned to Aerith, his teeth coming on display in his wide signature grin.

"Howdy treacle. Well I'll be, been a while since the Highwind had a crew this good lookin', got anymore pretty little things need a pick up? GODAMMIT! QUIT FIRING YOU COCK SUCKERS!"

"Yes, yes I do sir, I have some friends that need help" Aerith pleaded, making the captain's nose wrinkle in distaste at the girls formal address.

"That was rhetorical sweetheart, we're hauling ass pronto"

"Zack and Yuffie, they'll be ok. I also got a message from Red, Kunsel and Barret, they've already stowed away" Tifa tried to encourage Aerith by putting an arm across her shoulders, though with the amount of rocking and juddering the airship was under it came off as clunky and awkward.

"We can meet them in Costa Del Sol as per the original plan" Cissnei stated logically, climbing behind a flight controls monitor with Jessie close behind.

"Hey, hey, hey, hands off the equipment ladies!" Cid barked down at them from the drivers platform.

"You wanna make it out of Junon in one piece!?" Cissnei huffed back.

Cid eyed Cissnei and Jessie with a look that was somewhere between annoyance, intrigue and then defeat after wincing as a hostile shot further damaged the airships hull with a loud screech.

"Why do I jus' know I'mma regret runnin' into you broads?..."

* * *

**Chapter 29 Part 2- Flames and shadows**

"I can't connect" Zack muttered, smacking his PHS multiple times into the palm of his hand after every attempt at messaging and calling Aerith failed.

"See, told you ya fancy toys weren't all they're cracked up to be" Yuffie remarked, perched swinging her legs on a low wall beside a secluded section of the Junon docks.

"If she isn't getting any signal she must have found a way to get out over the ocean" Zack thought hopefully out loud, looking out across the water.

"...or under it" Yuffie commented before freezing and pretending to find something interesting in the distance as Zack gave her a scalding stare

.  
"Argh! what do we do!? we can't just leave, what if Aerith didn't make it out of there?" Zack raged in torn frenzy, pacing back and forth.

"We don't know for sure it was even her who let us out" the teenager pointed out needlessly, even though they both knew it must have been.

"That ship is about to leave any minute, if we don't get on it now we're stuck here for an extra day and we become separated from the others"

Yuffie nodded unenthusiastically at the ship Zack was referring to, turning green just at the sight of a boat.

"What's up? don't like sailing?" Zack asked, giving up and returning the PHS to his pocket. At the mere mention of the word 'sailing' Yuffie gagged and closed her eyes.

"...I... came from Wutai... by boat... I wanted... to kill myself"

"Oh I see.." Zack mumbled scratching the back of his head. "Well hey, I know tons of people who got sea or flight sickness the first time and got over it straight away" he lied meekly.

"Hmmmm... I think I'll stay here thanks"

Zack raised his eyebrow at the princess, not needing to verbally remind Yuffie of the deal they had struck that Zack had relinquished his 'all' materia for.

Yuffie rolled her eyes with a sigh and kicked herself off the wall, "fine, guess someones gotta be the reasonable one around here and compromise"

"Very good of you, now let's go before we lose our chance to board"

"And how exactly do you suppose we're gonna do that genius?"

Zack flicked his eyes and inclined his head down the length of the dock towards the two patrolling troopers in the distance carrying rifles. Yuffie's eyes widened as she looked at Zack, then at the troopers, then back to Zack.

"You've got to be kidding me"

* * *

**Chapter 29 Part 3- Flames and shadows**

"Oh Jesus Yuffie..."

Zack patted the little ninja on the back sympathetically as she continued to violently hurl over the side of the moving ship with the trooper helmet she had been disguised in tucked under his arm.

"Tell Sephiroth he's won... I'm done" Yuffie eventually gurgled during a brief break in throwing up that didn't last long.

"Really? you mean to tell me the legendary white rose of Wutai who single-handedly defeated an entire unit of SOLDIER on the slopes of Condor has been beaten by a couple of small waves?"

"... urrr jus' go away and let me die... in a bloody Shinra uniform... of all things... go find... Red and the others"

"They're on this ship somewhere, we should go look for them" Zack agreed.

"Go right ahead... I ain't moving"

"You sure?"

Yuffie weakly waved him away.

"Right, well don't leave this spot... seriously Yuff, stay here and stay out of trouble"

"Do I look..." she retched over the side of the ship before finishing, "... like I'm going anywhere?"

"Point taken, you do look pretty awful" Zack tried to joke, receiving the middle finger of the princess in return as she hung over the rail.

Zack gave her one last pat on the back and pressed Yuffie's trooper helmet into her hand.

"I won't be long"

Zack left and Yuffie continued to wallow in her dizzy ill misery, if she had known the experience was going to feel even worse than the last time, she would have told Zack where he could shove his 'all' materia. She mused that the sickness was worse this time around because of the speed they were moving at, when she had first run away from home she had stowed aboard an old steam engine boat. This mako fuelled military ship however had only been travelling for half an hour and Junon was already a speck on the horizon.

She remained slumped over the side for a long time, not remaining as alert as she should have and therefore failed to hear the stranger who approached her from behind.

"Peculiar is it not, the way fate directs our paths like actors to a stage? So that we may amuse her at a whim, be it with love or friendship, hate or conflict. we play along with impassioned emotions while she mocks us like the amusing children she finds us to be"

Yuffie froze, she had no clue who or what the guy was talking about but decided just to play it cool and remain staring out across the ocean.

"Yuh huh, peculiar... sure"

There was a silent pause and after a while Yuffie began to think the weird guy had just walked off but she wasn't so lucky.

"So where is he Miss Kisaragi?"

Yuffie gasped and whirled around quickly, adrenaline seeming to pump away the extreme nausea she had been feeling.

"How did... who are... do I know you!?"

The tall slender man before her chuckled lightly, his laugh sounding just as defined and articulate as his speech.

"This is quite refreshing, there are few who see me and still remain clueless as to my identity, a curse I sincerely wish could be lifted"

"Are you gonna answer the question or keep spilling a bunch'a mumbo jumbo that don't make any sense?"

"Doesn't or does not make any sense" the man corrected, cringing at the girls sloppy grammar. "My name is irrelevant child, what I seek however is not"

"And what's that?" Yuffie pressed quietly, feeling oddly frightened by this person and the dangerously menacing aura he had about him despite having an exceptionally well-groomed and calm exterior.

"Revenge"

Yuffie took a retreating step away from the pure malevolence with which he growled the word, her back coming into contact with the side of the ship.

"Revenge? against who? I don't even know you"

The man clad in a long red leather coat took step after step towards Yuffie who remained pressed against the railing in motionless fear.

"Against an old friend and a false deity, against the ones who betrayed me, against the ones who threw me to the darkness and proclaimed themselves the light"

The controlled rage in the auburn haired SOLDIER's voice had rendered her completely speechless, at least she guessed he must have been a SOLDIER. His eyes glowed but they were unlike any she had seen before, they were a golden red without the faintest trace of blue that every SOLDIER she had ever seen had to some degree. The mysterious person continued stalking towards her like a lion cornering a deer until he was towering directly over her.

"You seem frightened my dear, do you see something that scares you? do you see a monster Yuffie?"

If it was even possible, her eyes widened even further in horror as his features switched and morphed, eyes becoming redder, complexion becoming paler and becoming more predatory in appearance.

"...wh-wh-what are you?..."

Her voice was hardly above a squeak, few things scared Yuffie, not even stuck in the midst of the battlefield at Condor had she been this afraid. The mans glowing crimson eyes intensified from her question making them burn fiercer than raging pits of fire.

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey. In my own salvation and your eternal slumber"

"What? wh-what are you talking about?"

"Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end. The wind sails over the water's surface quietly but surely"

Yuffie's skin crawled at the confusing yet deeply resonating words, just like the man before her they seemed undeniably beautiful yet deadly at the same time. Rarely had she recognised when she was out of her depths and when he slowly began to draw a long steel blade while reciting the poem an audible whimper escaped her throat.

"There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess"

With a slow focused swipe of his hand the sword emblazoned in runic symbols burst into flames and what courage Yuffie had left escaped her and she fled to the sound of his demonic voice.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return"

* * *

**Chapter 29 Part 24- Flames and shadows**

"Hey you! trooper! where'd you think you're going!?"

Zack paused, acting casual as a patrolling third class SOLDIER caught him in the corridor and decided to give him grief on his way to the lower levels of the ship. Third's always did have a habit of going on a huge ego trip after getting into SOLDIER and gaining their enhancements for the first time.

"I'm heading to the cargo hold to do a sweep of the area sir!" Zack played along, trying not to appear awkward in the trooper uniform and helmet he was disguised in.

"What's your name boy?"

"Errr.. Francis sir!" Zack grimaced, it was the first name that sprung to mind.

"You don't seem too sure kid, need me to call mommy for you and double-check?" he sneered mockingly, "HA! Francis, what kind of stupid name is that?"

Zack grit his teeth as the SOLDIER jabbed him in the shoulder, he had climbed through the ranks of the Shinra army so long ago that he had almost forgotten what assholes thirds could be.

"My orders are urgent..."

"Orders from who!?" the third class SOLDIER acting like a first class prick cut him off snappily, offended that he was implying that there could be anyone on this universe more important than he.

"... the commander in charge" Zack fumbled, slowly getting verbally backed into a corner and realizing he needed to deflect the attention from himself less his cover be blown.

"Which one?" the third demanded, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Well... you know uh... both of them?... it was kind of just shouted at me hurriedly, they were in the middle of discussing candidates for promotion to second and seemed pretty busy"

The story didn't seem to wash too well but never the less the thirds eyes ballooned and with an intentional shove as he passed the man rushed away to the upper level, fixing his uniform as he went.

Zack released a sigh and continued down to said cargo hold, his instinct telling him if Red, Kunsel and Barret were hiding on this ship it would be down there. Moving quietly through the labyrinth of wall high crates and containers, Zack listened out carefully for any sign of his companions. It was only once he got closer to the back of the hold that he faintly picked up the familiar voice he was searching for.

"Get yer damn leg off me!"

"You ever considered that as your taking up eighty percent of this flipping crate that it's your leg that's touching mine?"

"I think perhaps we should stay quiet, I can smell someo..."

"You the one tha' suggested we hide in this bloody box ya' damn nancy"

"Only because you wouldn't wear the sailors uniform"

"Hey guys! It's Zack I smell!"

"Thank christ fer' tha'"

The front panel of the crate was kicked opened and the three of Zack's companions clambered out with Red yelping angrily as Barret stood on his tail.

"Sorry furball"

"Loving the outfit" Kunsel chuckled, spotting Zack and his attire, "where's Yuffie and Aerith?"

"We got caught up with Rufus and got separated from Aerith, Yuffie's up on deck hurling her guts up"

"Ya' tellin' me ya jus' left Aerith behind!?" Barret growled.

"We didn't have much choice, I couldn't connect to her PHS so I figured she must have found a way to cross the ocean"

Barret shot him a dubious look and Zack groaned in despair, removing the trooper helmet and casting it to the side, "Oh god... I shouldn't have left her..."

"Personally I think it was a very logical and rational decision to make" Red remarked.

"Perhaps she met up with Tifa and the others?" Kunsel suggested.

"You seen them?" Zack asked.

Kunsel shook his head, "Didn't get a message from them either"

The statement forced another groan from Zack.

"Well don't jus' stand there foo', they could be on this ship, get lookin'"

Suddenly Red's head reared which was never a good sign, sniffing the air.

"What is it?" Kunsel pressed as everyone turned to Red.

"... blood"

"Yuffie!" Zack didn't wait a second as they all dashed for the exit in unison.

Rushing from the cargo hold towards the upper deck where he left the princess they made it half way to where they were greeted by an engine room covered in the blood Red was talking about and littered with the lifeless bodies of multiple crew members.

"Bugger me" Barret breathed.

"Someone sure did a number over here" Kunsel continued.

"They've all been killed with a sword, do you think Sephiroth did this?" Red called, bounding between bodies and inspecting them closely.

"It can't be, I'm not sensing anything, are you?" Zack asked his fellow SOLDIER.

"Nothing" Kunsel replied, the look on his face telling Zack his intelligent brain was furiously ticking away.

"We need to find Yuffie, now!"

Zack's panicked statement was rendered instantly pointless as said girl came stumbling frantically through the engine room door in terror, her eyes darting around the walls and ceiling in every direction. With a mixture of alarm and relief Zack put out his arm to stop her and Yuffie crashed into him, instantly beginning to scream and lash out hysterically.

"GET OFF ME! LET ME GO! GET OFF ME!"

"Woah! woah! woah, Yuffie it's me, it's Zack, you're safe"

Yuffie's shoving and fighting instantly stopped and transitioned into a tight desperate embrace as she realized it was him and clung to him shakily.

"Shhhh, you're ok now, tell us who did this" he soothed, stroking a comforting hand down the back of her shoulder length jet-black hair.

"He's crazy Zack, he's everywhere, he's not human" Yuffie trembled, looking around again erratically.

"Who is? what does he look like?" Zack urged strongly.

He was answered by a deep almost demonic like voice that resonated throughout the entire room as if he or it was indeed everywhere.

"You'll find out soon enough"

Drawing their weapons the group closed quarters making the voice break into a booming laugh. Sticking together they turned frantically in every direction as noises, bangs and movement darted across different points of the room, staying hidden in the shadows.

"Show yourself!" Zack yelled angrily into the air.

A bang in the corner, a box tumbling to the floor, a flicker in the corner of their eye, Barret firing off a round as footsteps ran along the metal platform above and hitting nothing. The voice quit laughing and began speaking again in that unnatural tone that almost sounded like it was coming from inside your own head.

"There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the goddess... You know there was a time pup I truly believed in those words"

Zack's eyes widened and he ducked as a heavy metal drum came at him from nowhere, smashing against the far wall and spilling dark orange acid along the surface.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus, and take it to the sky... I dedicated my entire existence to that fairytale, to discover that alas, the only 'gift' that lying bitch Minerva could offer... WAS DEATH"

A powerful loud explosion broke into the heavy metal beams overhead and rocked the entire ship. Responding to the attack, the five of them dove out of the way in time to avoid being crushed by a cascading shower of fire and steel.

"A DEATH ZACHARY, THAT YOU GAVE TO ME"

Upon the furious scream of the inhuman voice, every single light in the room shattered instantaneously, plunging the room into fire lit darkness.

"It can't be..." Zack whispered in total disbelief and shock at the faintly familiar sound of the voice and the style of language they were using. Climbing to his feet amidst the smoking fiery destruction, Zack tried to spot whether the impossible had indeed become possible.

"Oh but it can" came the intimidating reply.

The flickering embers illuminating the walls of the engine room gave form to a long dark silhouette in the shape of a tall slender man in a long coat wielding the outline of a sword.

"...Genesis?" Zack and Kunsel almost spoke in unison.

There was a long dark chuckle that bounced off the walls of the room that began to darken as if the fire itself even feared the man.

"What remains"

A gruesome black mass began to slowly extend from the back of the silhouette, finally unfurling into the shape of a single huge angel like wing.

"This.. this can't be happening" Zack gasped, staggering on the spot as the weight of the never-ending nightmare bared down on him relentlessly.

Leaving the shadows and stepping through the smoke the face and form of Genesis Rhapsodos appeared but looking colder and more monstrous than when Zack had last seen him. With close to red eyes, an almost visible aura of crimson darkness around him and grinning with two sharp vampire like teeth on display, Genesis looked all together like horror incarnate.

"..how?... Genesis how are you alive?"

"My hatred for you Zachary. You should have died long ago but the goddess saw it fit to alter the course of events and bless your undeserving soul with her gift and favor while forsaking her loyal son. Desire for revenge brought me back pup, my hunger to watch you and Minerva burn"

"No... no don't do this Gen"

In a flash of red, Genesis raced at Zack and smashed his sword against Zack's mythril saber which was raised just in time to stop his head being removed from his shoulders.

"DO NOT CALL ME GEN BOY!" Genesis snarled in fury, "you relinquished that privilege when you ripped away everything from me!"

"STAY BACK" Zack roared at the others as they made to intervene, "... Genesis you left me no choice"

Their blades remained locked and Zack could feel his strength buckling under the incredible power that Genesis some how possessed. Any sign or hint of the degradation that the man had suffered was completely gone.

"For so long I sought the truth of her message, sought for the missing chapters, believing they would reveal the answers"

Genesis overpowered Zack and drove him back, hacking and slashing with such force you could physically see pulses of dark crimson energy in the air.

"But the answer was there the entire time, among the pretentious slew of falsity's the only verity of the piece was contained on the very first word on the very first page"

Genesis' attacks raged on violently, appearing effortless as he spoke in the riddles that Genesis always did. When Zack started losing ground Yuffie's shuriken came hurtling from the side but was swatted from the air with a flick of Genesis' blade.

"Where are my manners, please accept my deepest apologies" Genesis snarled, turning to Yuffie, Barret, Kunsel and Red, "allow me to give you some company, courtesy of Kadaj"

With Zack's sword locked firmly down in a defensive position by his blade, Genesis channeled an inferno in the palm of his free hand. Hitting the flat of Zack's blade the strike went off like fire touching dynamite, punching Zack's body across the room, giving Genesis the time he needed as the others rushed in to attack. Channeling a deep red materia, black smoke rose from the floor around them, materializing into a pack of black hound like creatures.

Zack rushed back in to attack Genesis while the rest of his team engaged the black phantom monstrosities and the room erupted into chaos.

"As I was saying" Genesis continued as their blades danced and sang ferociously, "the answer that was right there on the first page, the answer to the truth of the goddess, to her perception of us, to our existence, to the world that we live in... loveless. Our makers and our world is nothing more than a cold, empty, barren shell, filled with deceit and void of integrity"

Falling onto bad footing as Genesis' attacks pummeled and buckled Zack's defense, the ex-SOLDIER kicked away from the engagement with full force onto one of the platforms that hadn't been decimated above. With a simple flick of his incredible black wing Genesis followed after him.

"That's not true! I know it's not true!" Zack stated adamantly.

"You think just because you've fallen for the ancient that you know a single whit about love! Perhaps I should take her away from you and open your eyes to the world around you as I have had mine"

If there was one thing that did not sit well with Zack, it was threats against Aerith. Mako burning in his veins Zack slammed both their entwined blades with a bolt two attack, biting hard through the agony as he was struck with the spell as well as Genesis. Slightly more prepared for it then Genesis had been, Zack had his opening. Dragging the point of Genesis' blade to the floor and locking it under his boot, the mythril saber arched around in a deadly horizontal slash, cutting a line across Genesis' abdomen which he followed with a swift slam with the reverse of his fist across the mans face.

Breaking the surprise attack, Genesis powered a heavy boot into Zack's chest and kicked him away onto his back before he could do anymore damage. Genesis fell to one knee clutching at the deep but non-fatal wound across his stomach.

"Sephiroth was right, the pup is finally bearing teeth" Genesis heaved, smirking and flashing those fangs that made Zack shudder while he wiped the blood from the side of his mouth where Zack had struck him.

"You spoke to Sephiroth!?" Zack panted in disbelief, climbing breathlessly onto one knee in a position that mirrored Genesis.

"Never did I think it would be so, but for once Sephiroth and I have the same interests in mind"

"Gen, you have to give this obsession with Loveless and the goddess up! don't you see you have a second chance as well!? a chance to set things right!? Sephiroth wants to destroy the world!"

Genesis growled again at the personal address but was in no position to make another attack.

"Oh I am fully aware Zachary of Sephiroth and the calamity's plans, I've seen it all from the lifestream. Everything that was, everything that should have been"

"Should have been?... look I know you're angry, and you can take it out on me, you can take it out on the goddess, but Gen... surely you don't want to see the whole world destroyed for your own revenge? Surely not even you're that cruel?"

Zack searched Genesis' face desperately for any sign of humanity left, his spirit crumbling when the man began to laugh.

"How else did you think I was going to get revenge on Minerva? I'm going to destroy everyone and everything she claims to be 'beloved' to her, I'm going to expose her for the heartless, loveless witch she is, right before I take her head"

Zack had believed his hope for Genesis long dead, but to see him again, to see how far he had fallen along with Sephiroth and how twisted they had both become was painful. Closing his eyes in despair a single long tear raced down the side of his face.

"Then you know I'm going to have to stop you again old friend"

Genesis climbed unsteadily to his feet, the hand across his abdomen dripping in blood and his sword in the other hanging limply at his side.

"We're counting on it"

Driving his wing, Genesis took off into the air through the exposed hole in the roof and out of sight. Dropping onto his back again Zack hit the platform and lay staring up at the sky, feeling broken in more ways than just the bones in his hands and arms from the sheer force of Genesis' strikes.

_I should have died long ago? Altered the course of events? What should have been?_


	30. Sunshine therapy

**Chapter 30 Part 1- Sunshine therapy**

"Aerith... relax, they'll be alright. I mean gee if even Teef can take a chill pill for once I'm sure you can"

The long-limbed martial artist laying beside Jessie dug an elbow into the red-heads side.

"Hey I resent that!... I can relax... sometimes"

Jessie giggled playfully, pulling the legs of her trousers further up her thighs as far as they would go and sighing happily as the hot sun-kissed her face and body. They were sunbathing on the roof of the Highwind, or at least she and Tifa were, hoisting up t-shirts, trousers and removing bra straps to try to get as much exposure to the sun as possible. Jessie was pleased to see that Tifa had sorted out her personal lady issue and her shoulders were completely free of deep red strap marks.

"But what if Cid comes up here?" Aerith asked as she relinquished her constant worrying about Zack and sat down, pulling her new clean white dress a modest distance up her legs.

"That's not likely to happen" Cissnei chuckled at the faint sound of the captain screaming colorful expletives throughout the lower decks as he analyzed the damage his ship had taken.

"Aren't you melting?" Jessie asked the ex-Turk who stood with her arms folded, fully clothed in a dark outfit not too dissimilar to the Turks uniform.

"Come on Cissnei, relax for once" Tifa chimed, patting the spot beside her, "take a seat and you can tell us all the little details about you and Kunsel"

Jessie turned to Tifa in disbelief with an open-mouthed cartoonish grin and then nodded eagerly in agreement towards Cissnei to tell them. It wasn't like the dark brunette to gossip and pry but Jessie was ecstatic that she had and pushed the question they all wanted to ask.

Cissnei rolled her eyes and unfolded her arms to sit at the spot Tifa had indicated to, leaning back on her hands but remaining fully clothed.

"So I like him... big deal"

A flurry of bright-eyed glances fluttered between the three other females making the Turk sigh in exasperation.

"We all like him Ciss, but you and him can hardly keep your eyes off each other" Aerith piped up in a happier mood from the change of topic.

"Which we don't blame you for" Jessie quickly added, flipping onto her front. "Those eyes of his sure are beautiful, but they do seem to have lets say an... 'extra' effect on you"

Cissnei lifted her head to object but relented and dropped her eyes back into her lap.

"That obvious huh?"

Jessie, Tifa and Aerith nodded in unison with big smiles.

"So come on, now we've got the obvious out in the open, have you and him said... or done anything" Tifa questioned with a teasing tone towards the end.

Cissnei's eyes widened for a moment and when she didn't deny it immediately it told them everything they needed to know.

"You have!" Jessie shrieked excitedly.

"Come on Ciss, you can't keep stuff like this from your girlfriends" Aerith insisted when Cissnei tried to remain silent.

"Ok, ok... we kissed"

Cissnei was bombarded with the inevitable wave of squeals and yelps, mostly from Jessie and Aerith while Tifa just grinned.

"... quite a few times actually"

More squealing.

"... and we slept together."

"YOU DID WHAT!?"

"NO WAY!"

"CISSNEI YOU DIDNT!"

"No! no! no! not like that, we were just talking and I kind of just fell asleep in his bed."

"Awww that's so sweet" Aerith glowed as the over excited reactions died down and the women laid back down, sighing up into the warm sky contently. "I'm happy for you"

Cissnei remained rigidly upright, her face down turned anxiously, wanting to voice a concern of hers and deciding to just come out with it. "Do you think we're... moving a bit fast?"

Heads lifted back up.

"I mean... I've only known him a short while and there's still so much I don't even know about him... and I don't even know how much he really knows about me. What if he doesn't like me once he see's the full picture?"

"Cissnei" Tifa responded softly, "take it from me, if you feel something for him, act on it, don't wait, don't play games or hesitate and don't let it slip away, because you never know if you'll ever get the opportunity again. You don't want to live with that, believe me"

Tifa's voice was laced with sad regret and Jessie knew she was thinking of Cloud and all the years that had passed between them that they never told each other how they felt.

"And even if you do both have skeletons in your closets" Tifa continued, "even if logic tells you you should stay away and hide what's in here... don't listen to that voice, trust what you feel"

"Wow Tifa, that was really pretty" Aerith melted while Cissnei and surprisingly Jessie both sat in thoughtful silence, mulling over the woman's words. They sat like that in peaceful quiet for quite a while, bathing in the warmth of the mid-day sun and the faintest of faint breeze's that rolled in from the ocean.

"Hey, can anyone hear that?" the flower girl was the first to interrupt the serenity.

"No?" Tifa mumbled after listening carefully.

"Exactly" Aerith pointed out, "where's Cid?"

All four women turned to the roof hatch to see said Captain staring at them, leaning against the frame with a smoke in his mouth and a big grin on his face.

"CID!" Tifa hollered angrily at him throwing one of her heavy combat boots at him, forcing him to duck.

"Don't mind me gals" he chuckled as bra's were frantically done back up, t-shirts, shorts and dresses were quickly pulled down and modesty was restored. "Ahh no point changin' now, got it all stored right up fer' life" Cid continued to laugh huskily, tapping a finger to his temple.

"You're disgusting" Tifa barked half-heartedly, finding it harder by the hour to keep being offended by the captain's vulgar nature. Though he could be extremely crude at times it never really came across as ill-willed or lecherous, she guessed it was simply the charm of Cid Highwind that they would just have to get used to... if they ever saw him again after this that is.

"I think ya'll find honey tha' the term is 'straight', not 'disgusting'"

"Don't you have a wife or something?" Cissnei remarked, strolling across the Highwind to the hatchway as the other females gathered their stuff.

"I have a useless, good fer' nothin', living breathing accident on legs" Cid scowled, flicking the finished cigarette butt over the side of the ship.

"She sounds like a lucky lady" Cissnei quipped casually.

"Hmph... anyway, came ta' tell ya' that a boats pulling into harbour over at De Sol."

"ZACK! IT COULD BE ZACK!" Aerith yelled delightfully, face lighting up like the heavens on fireworks night and dashing over to the hatch to shove Cid down the stairs.

"Easy treacle! crikey, he ya' boyfriend or sumin'?"

Aerith ceased her pushing to stare down at the captain with proud, happy eyes.

"Yes, yes he is"

Cid cursed loudly as he was forced down the ladder with Cissnei following behind and then Tifa until she saw Jessie still sat quietly in the same spot with her arms hugged across her knees.

"You coming Jess?"

"Yeah, I just need a minute, I'll be right behind you" Jessie replied

"Everything alright?"

The truth to that question was no, Tifa's words to Cissnei earlier had really affected her more than the martial artist knew and Jessie couldn't shake it from her mind.

"I'm fine"

Tifa didn't seem convinced but never the less she turned and left with a short 'I'm here for you if you want to talk' nod. Jessie continued to sit there, a battle raging in her head over something every ounce of logic and common sense told her she shouldn't even be thinking about, let alone considering getting involved with. Taking a deep breath Jessie pulled her PHS out and with a trembling hand tapped out the perilous message.

_Still interested in that date?- J_

She stared at the text for an eternity, her head and chest pounding furiously but no matter how hard she tried or how many times she ran Tifa's message through her mind to 'act on it' and 'trust what you feel', Jessie just couldn't muster the courage to send it.

* * *

**Chapter 30 Part 2- Sunshine therapy**

Costa Del Sol was a gorgeous town and while the streets were awash with the screams and shrieks of children at the beach and noisy café occupiers, it was a serene and peaceful place. It was the kind of place that Aerith would love no more than to while away countless idle hours in but instead she was briskly walking at a pace that was close to running to get to the docks as soon as she could. When the ship appeared in the harbour Aerith prayed she would see Zack disembark, a prayer was quickly murdered by the frightening sight of a smouldering plume of smoke spiralling from the ship.

"Zack!"

Tifa quickly grabbed Aerith's wrist, stopping her as she tried to run down there. "Aerith no! We don't know who's on there."

The four woman waited for a long time in anticipation as a number of injured and panicked Shinra crew members ran from the boat at their first chance of escape, looking mortified.

"This is bad, this is really bad" Aerith's voice quivered while Tifa continued to hold fast to her arm.

"'Ow in the name'a Bahamut did you gal's get 'ere 'fore us?"

They all jumped, twirled around and erupted into relieved shouts to see that Yuffie, Zack, Red, Barret and Kunsel had stealthily made their exit off the ship without them even noticing.

"B!" Jessie cheered, diving onto the big man ecstatically.

"Easy doll" Barret winced but still grinning while he swung the girl off her feet in a wide circle.

Jessie gasped seeing what had pained him, he was covered in black ashy dirt and his arms and back had teeth and claw marks in them. In fact they all did.

"What happened!?"

"Long story" Yuffie commented looking just as worse for wear while Tifa greeted the princess fondly and with no small amount of caring affection.

Spotting Zack at the back of the group Aerith mimicked Jessie's attack and ran to him, pawing him into a hug.

"I'm so relieved!" she breathed into his neck, "I'm sorry I left without you, we had to... Zack are you ok?"

She interrupted herself, feeling how extremely tense and unresponsive his body was. Pulling away she looked at him and though his warm smile looked genuine, his eyes looked haunted.

"Zack?"

He didn't reply and now she was worried so Aerith tried to kiss him and gasped in shock when he recoiled slightly.

"Zack!?" she bleated, this time quieter and close to tears.

He stared at her for a few seconds, looking just as hollow as he did when they were first reunited back at the church just after Cloud's death.

"I'm happy to see you're alright" Zack whispered and though he was sincere he sounded just as broken as he looked.

Zack's face fell again after a forced smile and turned away, reclaiming his hand back from hers and making Aerith choke tearfully as he walked off. Was he angry at her? Had she done something to upset him? Hurt and confused she hid her face to the ground, feeling her cheeks begin to dampen and burn with embarrassment as everyone wasnow staring at her. A hand dropped onto her shoulder while the others were gracious enough to notice her discomfort and move away.

"It isn't you Aerith, Zack just needs some time on his own right now."

It was Kunsel, looking downbeat and dirtied but to her relief, fully recovered.

"What happened Kunsel, what's wrong?" she questioned, grasping the hand at her shoulder for reassurance while watching Zack as he walked off.

"He ran into an old ghost" Kunsel replied solemnly. "A very nasty ghost."

"Sephiroth?

"I wish. We have another problem on our hands, a new problem and it's best if everyone hears this together."

Aerith nodded but her heart still despaired, not for herself but for how badly Zack was clearly hurting. She would move heaven and earth and do all in her power to prevent him from every enduring anymore suffering. She would get stronger, so that not only would he be her bodyguard, but she would also be his.

Red appeared at her side, brushing against her leg in a comforting welcome and letting Aerith link her hand through his coarse fur like he knew she loved to. "Come along, let's go inside" Red urged guiding her gently, recognizing that there was someone else waiting to greet Kunsel.

Cissnei stood watching the SOLDIER, undeniably pleased to see his full recovery. Kunsel turned to her, grinning as she tried to quickly look away and leave, pretending not to have been staring at him for the last five minutes.

"Cissnei" he called.

She turned to him and they exchanged a small smile after which she nodded to him like one would to acknowledge a passing work colleague.

"Is that all the hello I get?" he chuckled.

Cissnei unfolded her arms and Kunsel shook his head in amusement to see she had already begun to rebuild her defensive wall even though he had only been gone a day.

"Well what kind of hello do you want?" she asked, taking a few extra steps towards him.

"Rekka darling, you know what kind" he replied after checking around that no one was within earshot.

Kunsel knew he was putting her on the spot and the intentionally placed use of the 'D' word had almost taken the legs out from under her, but he had begun making real progress with the beautiful conundrum and he didn't want to regress.

"Ok" she replied, taking a deep breath and approaching him like she was approaching a live bomb, cautious and apprehensive.

She got near but kept her eyes angled to the ground, unable and too afraid to look up at him which must have felt like a slap in the face to him. Cissnei mentally cursed herself for her sudden anxiety, it was all becoming too intense and now she was seizing up. Noticing the turmoil preventing her from kissing him, Kunsel placed a hand under her chin and lifted her eyes off the floor to his.

"It's nice to see you again" he voiced calmly but also with a hint of disappointment before turning to leave after the others.

"Kunsel!"she broke, snatching his hand as her heart jumped into her lungs, "I... I'm sorry"

"Please, say anything you want to me Rekka, but not that, never that. Hey it's ok, one step at a time yeah?"

Cissnei screamed at herself in angry frustration as without moving she watched him continue to walk away, wanting to shout to him, wanting to grab him and kiss him, wanting to reciprocate the feelings he was seeking. After their night together she had genuinely believed she was over these crippling reservations but now she realized she wasn't and Kunsel's near death encounter wouldn't be returning to give her the push like it had done before. Playing Tifa's words over and over in her mind Cissnei watched in despair as he rounded the corner of a sunny side road in Costa Del Sol and disappeared out of sight.

_Take it from me, if you feel something for him, act on it... don't wait... don't play games or hesitate... don't let it slip away, because you never know if you'll ever get the opportunity again._

Gaia she felt something for him and she loathed herself that she was risking letting him slip away. How many more opportunities would he give her before he got fed up of her scarred baggage? How much more patience for her broken and dysfunctional emotions did he have left? Even now the thought of running away again like before seemed incredibly appealing, what the hell was wrong with her? Cissnei quickly shoved those thoughts aside. She had promised never to run away again like that and she intended on sticking to it… unless the dark suspicion that had been plaguing her mind for the last few days came to light.

Then she would have no choice on the matter.

* * *

**Chapter 30 Part 3- Sunshine therapy**

Yuffie bounced along happily on the toes of her feet through the bright vibrant market of Costa Del Sol, the heat, the atmosphere, it reminded her so much of Wutai. It made her feel content, alive, but also a little home sick, but just a little...

Ok it made her feel like crying and jumping on the next boat home but not a single living soul could ever know that, except perhaps Zack the big loveable knucklehead.

Yuffie sighed, inhaling the plethora of scents in the air and realizing she was hungry. Glancing around the array of market stalls for a bite to eat she spotted something shiny on display that looked pretty cool as she strolled passed the nearby jewellery store. Wandering over Yuffie marked the merchant with a quick scan, he was a stern twitchy looking fella, the kind of alert and suspicious type. This would take an extra bit of the old Yuffie magic.

Prancing over looking 'touristy' the ninja gave an elderly woman examining a brooch at the stall a light bump as she passed. Sufficiently knocking her off-balance the women dropped the brooch and fell forward, planting her hands on the table to stop her fall and accidentally jumbling the neatly laid out items all over the place.

OH! I'm so sorry!" Yuffie squawked catching the woman and helping her back upright along with the cool shiny thing she had just palmed.

"Hey watch it!" the store keeper barked angrily, arranging his precious display back to normal.

"It's quite alright dear" the old lady assured, waving a dismissive hand and scowling at the man. "You're apology is most accepted."

Skipping away again Yuffie then plucked an apple from a fruit store and a cream bun from a baker with ease while she made her way to somewhere that was out of sight where she could inspect her plunder.

Meh, the shiny thing wasn't that cool after all she concluded in disappointment after holding a silver pendant of a Cactuar to the light while piggishly cramming the rest of the cake into her mouth. It was nice, it just wasn't her style.

 _Pffff, stealing just for the hell of it just wasn't as fun as it used to be_ Yuffie decided as she gazed around boredly at what to do next.

Noone had been in the mood to come to the market with her earlier after Kunsel had told the depressing story about that creepy Genesis dude to everyone while Zack locked himself away at the inn. Not that she could really blame him, it must have totally sucked to have been forced to kill your best friend just so he could come back again and act like an even bigger asshole.

 _Perhaps she should go see him to be as supportive a buddy to him as he had been to her while they were in prion?_ she mused. _Hmm maybe later_ Yuffie decided after hearing a chorus of cheerful noise sail into the town from the beach and deciding that that was where all the fun had to be. Though of course she couldn't go by herself, what kind of loser goes to the beach by themselves? She would have to pester someone into going with her.

_Right! Time to hunt for a beach buddy!_

Dashing back towards the inn where the rest of the group were residing, the first person she came across was Jessie sat on a deck chair outside the hotel also by herself, staring intently at her PHS like she had been for most of the day.

"Hey Jess! O'l buddy o'l pal!" Yuffie cheered, diving into the lounger beside her, both of them cringing as they heard the wood splinter but somehow still remained upright. "Oopsie".

"Hi Yu..."

"You have to come to the beach with me!" Yuffie cut in excitedly.

Jessie sighed looking back at her PHS, "I'm not really in the mood"

Yuffie's mouth fell open, Jessie was by far her most hopeful chance she had at acquiring a beach buddy.

"Awwww... please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please..."

"Maybe later" Jessie mumbled when the princess had to pause for breath.

"There's an awesome silver Cactuar pendant in it for you" Yuffie tried to tempt the girl, swinging the thing in front of her face that was clearly failing to impress. "Ok fine, just tell me what exactly it is you're being all mopy about" Yuffie resigned, figuring if she was gonna get Jessie to come with her she would have to play the agony aunt for a bit.

Jessie squirmed in her deck chair and after going through a series of awkward looking internal struggles that even made Yuffie feel uncomfortable, Jessie finally opened up with a somewhat sketchy and abstract question.

"... let's say a person is thinking about doing something that they know everyone would think is wrong, does it make them a bad person because they knew and still did it anyway?"

The answer came quick and easy to Yuffie, "I do bad stuff all the time that I know everyone thinks is wrong" she shrugged, "but the way I see it is no matter what you do you can't please everybody so you gotta just do what you wanna do, know what I mean? I mean if I didn't then I'd still be stuck in Wutai acting like a good little princess like dad always wanted and I would be totally miserable."

Jessie absorbed her words for a while and then stared up at her gratefully, making Yuffie realize for the first time just how freakishly big a pair of copper-brown eyes the red-head had.

"That... that actually helps... thankyou Yuffie"

"No problem! Now go get into the cutest bikini you own and let's show this town some real babes!"

"Maybe later, there's something I need to do."

Jessie got up to leave and Yuffie jumped up angrily with her hands on her hips, letting out an audible huff that she hoped Jessie had heard as the girl skittered away with her PHS held tightly in her hand. Deciding against pursuing and tackling Jessie to the ground, Yuffie gave up on her and decided to look for her next target. Rolling moodily into the inn while taking a munch of her apple she looked around and quickly spotted Tifa and Barret at the hotel bar, sat in solemn silence.

"Oh brother" the princess murmured taking another chomp of the unpleasantly sharp fruit and preparing her over excited act that would hopefully get them to come to the beach.

"HEY GUYS! COME QUICK!" Yuffie screeched, thumping them both on the back, making Tifa jump and Barret spill his raised drink down his chin with a growl.

"Ya' got two secon's ta' scram squirt."

"What's up Yuff?"

"COME QUICK! THERE'S SOMETHING TOTALLY AWESOME AT THE BEACH YOU GOTTA COME SEE!"

"Like what?" Tifa blinked, setting down her drink as both she and Barret turned to stare at her intently.

"Errrr... like loads of cool stuff, just come!"

"Pass" Barret grumbled, standing up slightly wobbly and stumbling off.

"Pfff" Yuffie waved after him dismissively before turning back to Tifa pleadingly.

"Not today babe" Tifa remarked going back to her drink resting on the bar top.

"NO!? But whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?" Yuffie whined tugging on the hem of the woman's shorts.

"I have stuff I need to think about"

Yuffie rolled her eyes, "not you too..."

"Huh?"

"Come on then, out with it" Yuffie groaned, hopping onto the chair Barret had vacated.

"It's nothing."

"Booooobs?" Yuffie tuned, raising an incredulous eyebrow.

"Don't call me that... ok fine, it's about this Genesis guy."

"What about him?" Yuffie frowned, reaching for Tifa's glass and downing it with a hiss and shiver and receiving a quick slap to the back of her hand from the martial artist.

"Hey you're under age young lady! Ok I've been thinking, Kunsel said that Zack killed Genesis right? Yet he's here, he's back correct?"

"Yuhuh."

"What do you mean just yuhuh!?" Tifa suddenly exploded, becoming animated. "Don't you see!? that means he came back! That means a person who has died can really come back!"

"Guess so" Yuffie shrugged twirling on her stool.

Tifa's eyes lit up as if she hadn't quite believed her own statement until now and Yuffie's casual confirmation was the solid approval she had been desperately seeking.

"YUFFIE! Yuffie I love you!" Tifa yelped, halting the ninja's absent spinning with an ecstatic hug.

"Uhhh, yeah sure, love you too" the princess replied in confusion patting the martial artist on the back.

"Thankyou!" Tifa beamed, breaking away after kissing Yuffie's cheek to dash away from the bar.

"... no problem, I think... HEY WAIT! WHAT ABOUT THE BEACH!?" Tifa didn't stop and disappeared from sight. "GRRRRRRR!" Yuffie raged, making the nearby bartender stare at her like she was a nutter.

"I'll have another" Yuffie ordered as she tried her luck and pushed Tifa's empty glass towards him, scowling when the man shook his head.

Leaping off the stool she charged towards the hotel stairwell that Barret had staggered off to, hopefully if she was quick enough she could catch him and give it a more convincing shot this time. Leaping up three flights of stairs three steps at a time and crashing down the hallway she caught Barret just as he was fumbling and cursing with his room key, trying to get in.

"YO B! WAIT UP!"

"Not in the mood kid..."

"Aww come on, don't be like that big guy"

Barret ignored her and continued trying to solve the conundrum that was the door lock in his faintly intoxicated state. Hopping in the way with a big cartoonish beam Yuffie blocked the doorway, making him stare at her with a less than impressed glare for a few seconds before huffing and walking off down the corridor.

"Wow... you really are in a bad mood" Yuffie commented in surprise when he didn't swat her aside.

Barret paused with his back still turned, looking pent-up and mad but then he broke, his big shoulders sagging and his head dropping low. That was not what she was expecting.

"I jus' wanna be alone ta' think right now."

"Sweet Leviathan not you aswell!" she wailed, slumping her back against the room door and sliding to the floor.

There was no way the beach was worth this much effort and though a strong portion of her brain told Yuffie to give up and go back to stealing from the market place, the smaller part of her brain telling her to continue the bizarre trend of counselling her suddenly overly-emotional companions won.

"Come on then, out with it."

Barret stood there for a second before responding with a curt, "nah" as he started moving away down the hall again. Crawling across the floor Yuffie quickly latched her arms around his ankle to stop him leaving.

"Stop being such a sour sea worm and tell me" she muffled as he refused to stop and dragged her body across the floor while she hung on tight.

"Talkin's fer sissy's" Barret stated humourlessly, eventually pulling to a halt.

Climbing to her feet Yuffie hopped in his path again and began a probably unwise impersonation of him to mock how silly his comment was.

"Ooooh look at me, I'm Mr. big tough man with ma' big tough gun and ma' big tough man tattoo's, I don't feel nothin' and I don't care 'bout nobody bla bla bla."

She danced around him puffing her small chest up and acting all macho as she spoke before deflating and releasing a small nervous giggle as he burned her with a scalding stare. Suddenly to Yuffie's amazement her approach worked and Barret heaved a long heavy sigh and dropped to the floor, leaning his back against the wall and resting his tree trunk arms on his knees.

"Ya' right kid. Ite... I'll tell ya'... but don'tcha go repeatin' this ta' nobody, ya' got that?"

"Not a soul!" Yuffie cheered, leaping next to him and mimicking Barret's blokish sitting position excitedly. This was insane, even Barret Wallace was opening up to her! perhaps a councillor or a psychiatrist had been her true calling in life.

The second AVALANCHE leader sat there for a bit and Yuffie waited patiently for once, trying to interpret his expression and resisting the urge to press him when he didn't speak for a long ass time.

"Ahhh screw this" he finally blurted out and started climbing to his feet again.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Get your butt back here!" Yuffie demanded pulling him back down. "Just come out with it."

"Look I'm near ma' ol' home town alright!... an'...an' it's jus' hit me tha' it's gonna be the next place we roll through..."

"Ohhh... oh now I get it" she replied in understanding, Jessie had told her about Barret's home and what had happened at Mt. Corel.

"Been avoiding it fer' so long ya' know... facin' wha' happened... facin' wha' I done"

Yuffie considered her words carefully before responding which in itself was a revelation.

"Look B, I'm not going to tell you that what happened at Corel was Shinra's fault and not yours because I know that's not what you want to hear and you're not going to listen to that. So let me put it this way, this is what I ask myself every time I think about when I ran away from home and some of the other decisions I've made. Knowing the person you were and the situation you was in at the time, what would or could you have logically done different?"

There was that look again that everyone was giving her today, that look of total disbelief that she was capable of saying anything serious or meaningful.

"Go on" Yuffie urged staring right back, "what could you have done differently?"

"Ahhh gee... where do I start... I could'a never trusted those lyin' Shinra bastards an' agreed to tha' damned mako reactor bein' built..."

"But why would you? Shinra lied to you at the time, they lied to everyone, why would you have ever declined cheap, safe, renewable energy and all the promises Shinra made to end the towns suffering and the suffering of your family? That's not logical, You would have been an idiot to say no to that."

"... ok I would'a got back ta' town sooner and been there to protect it when those fuckers came an' burned it ta' tha' ground..."

"And how exactly would you have done that? Would you have become a fortune teller? Did you forget to use your crystal ball that day? How could you possibly have known the town was going to be attacked?"

Her words looked like a physical blow and Barred looked away to stare at the floor between his knees with a thoughtful frown. Yuffie could see that what she was saying was getting through to him though.

"I could'a searched harder, I might'a found Myra had I jus' been quicker when I arrived..."

"Yeah I believe you on that one, with how much you obviously miss her I believe if you could go back now you would search so hard until you burned alive in that place and left Marlene to fend for herself. Look we can go around in this circle all day, but you know as well as I do if there was anything you could have done, you would have done it B. Accept that. You want to blame yourself but it's stupid and it's unfair! Now ask yourself **truthfully** what you could have done?"

A difficult expression worked its way across Barret's face and he angled his whole body away from Yuffie as his eyes began to glaze over.

"There's... there's nothin' I could'a done" he finally accepted, looking down at his open palm and the prosthetic gun.

It was as if her, what she thought were fairly obvious statements, were a great discovery to him and he wordlessly mouthed 'there's nothing I could have done' over and over while getting to his feet and wandered absently off towards his room door again.

"Hey B! What about the...", Barret turned to look over his shoulder at her, "... never mind"

Unlocking the door with a little more success this time, Barret paused before entering, glancing at her in the peripheral of his vision.

"… thanks kid."

Yuffie threw him a thumbs up and with a short nod he left. Sighing she continued to sit on the floor in thought, dropping her head back against the wall and closing her eyes briefly. What a day this was turning out to be. That was three people she had helped now, she was practically a professional now. Grinning she started thinking up ways to fit the title of 'doctor' into 'the great ninja warrior princess', but none of the combinations sounded right.

Except perhaps 'the great ninja warrior doctor princess'.

Footsteps down the corridor made Yuffie open her eyes again and as if fate had decided it, it was Kunsel, a beach buddy if ever she did see one. Hopping to her feet eagerly she approached him feeling hopeful, Kunsel was always in a good mood.

"Kunsel ol' mate ol' chum, fancy coming to the beach with me? There's lots of cool..."

"Ask Cissnei" he interrupted bluntly, storming straight on by, "perhaps she'll give you a straight answer, then again perhaps she'll just lead you around in circles...". Kunsel stopped after he spoke and turned with a sigh, "I shouldn't have said that, I really didn't mean that, forget I said that."

Yuffie nodded, "wanna talk to the great ninja warrior doctor princess about it?"

"The what?" he frowned unimpressively.

"Eh... nothing"

"Why don't you go ask Aerith if she wants to go, she's on the second floor and looks like she could do with a bit of cheering up."

Aerith! Of course! why hadn't she thought of pinko sooner!

"Good idea, thanks bright eyes!"

Running towards the direction Kunsel had just come from, Yuffie descended the stairwell two steps at a time, pausing just before she rounded the corner when she heard Aerith's voice.

"Please Zack, let me in, talk to me"

Peeking stealthily around the corner she saw Aerith perched against Zack's door in a 'I'm not moving until you open up' kind of way... drat!

"Kunsel told us about your ummm... friend? I can't even begin to imagine how tough this is for you... I'm here for you" she concluded after a short silence.

"Balls!" Yuffie quietly cursed under her breath when she realized she had more chance of outrunning a gold chocobo then getting Aerith away from that door.

Stuffing her hands into the tight pockets of her shorts Yuffie moved away gloomily, swinging her legs idoly. Gaia was it so unreasonable to ask for a single person to come to the beach with her?

Trudging down the stairs to the ground level despondently she didn't even bother getting excited when she met Cissnei at the bottom.

"Hey, do you know where..."

"Third level" Yuffie mumbled instantaneously.

"Thanks, err are you alright?" Cissnei called after her to which the princess just waved the back of her hand and continued dragging her feet away.

Exiting the building to stand in the gorgeously scorching mid-day sun she took a deep breath, resisting the urge to throw a tantrum that on a day as beautiful as today she was still fully dressed and not going to the beach.

"Hello."

The sudden unexpected male voice at her hip made Yuffie jolt with a yelp. It was an over dramatic reaction by normal standards but if she was honest she was still a little on edge after the horrific encounter with that Genesis guy.

"Don't do that!" Yuffie spat angrily.

"Do what?" Red queried with that odd-looking expression his feline face had when he was amused.

"Creep up on people! It's not nice!"

"I crept?"

"Hmph..."

"Are you alright?" Red asked tilting his head up at her.

"Why does everyone keep asking that!? It's not like anyone cares about how I feel or what I might want to do!"

"Well you're not running at or away from anything for a start, so that usually means something's wrong."

Yuffie tried to give his single golden eye gleaming up at her humorously a stern gaze but there was something about Red and his funny little face that made her feel cheery, 'funny little face' being the most bizarre way of describing his powerful, menacing appearance that had most people cowering in their boots. Now she was grinning and chuckling in unison with Red as they casually started strolling away from the hotel on auto-pilot.

"So what's up friend?" Red articulated, giving a group of youths staring at him with big open jaws a wide berth.

"Bleh... everyone's being miserable and no one wants to come to the beach with me."

"I'll come with you" Red remarked off-handishly. "If my company would suffice."

Yuffie stopped dead in her tracks in shock, it had never even crossed her mind to ask Red, which now she came to think about it was rather mean of her.

"Wait... are you serious!?"

"I might need to find some shade after a while if my nose dries out, but sure."

The princess continued to gawk at him to see if he was joking and then broke into elated cheers, jumping and spinning around him ecstatically.

"SSSQQUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AWWWW RIIIIGGGHHHHTTT! LET'S DO THIS!"

"I warn you though, people might scream... that happens in crowded places sometimes."

The idea of going to the beach and intentionally scaring people with Red almost had her bursting with too much excitement.

"That'll be totally hilarious!" she bellowed, bending down to grab Red's head in her arms and lay a big kiss on his muzzle.

"You humans are strange" he remarked in slight embarrassment after clearing his throat.

Grabbing the silver Cactuar pendant from her pocket, Yuffie took the liberty of wrapping and entwining the piece into one of his braids.

"What is that?"

"A thankyou and to officially proclaim you as my new best friend! Wow... it actually looks pretty cool on you" she beamed actually meaning it, it fit in perfectly with his unique look and the other array of quirky accessories he wore.

"Well then, you are welcome friend" Red concluded shaking his head to eye the new edition. "Something amuses you?" he then asked when Yuffie startled giggling.

"Nothing, nothing, just the way you sometimes say things all formal like. Like instead of 'you are welcome friend'" Yuffie mimicked Red's light articulate voice, "just say, I dunno, 'cheers mate'."

"Cheers... mate"

"Hm. Yeah it'll come to ya... now let's go to the beach!", Yuffie laughed, picking up her pace, forcing Red to move at a light trot. "Watch out Costa Del Sol!" she boomed at the top of her lungs, "here comes team Ruffie!"

Red coughed and choked like he was bringing up a furball, "I err, don't think you should call us that" he stated, warily looking around.

"Huh? why not?"

"Ummm, you know what Ruffie's are right?"

"Eh?

"Well they are... they're...not good... uhhh... well if... hmmm... if a person was looking to take advantage of... just ask Tifa"

"Will do!" Yuffie hollered.

"But don't say I told you to" Red quickly added in a flustered state.

They continued making their way through the town, drawing quite a few stares and even a following of children that stalked behind them at a wary distance in awe of the legendary white rose of Wutai... or at the huge walking, talking lion-wolf thing beside her, but probably more her.

As they wound their way through the town and market place, Yuffie found her and Red getting along like a house on fire, talking and laughing about various things the entire way and now a question she had been curious of for a while popped into her head.

"Say Red, how old are you?"

"Grandpa says I am around fifteen to sixteen years of age"

"So we are practically the same age! Rock on! Though you seem pretty smart for a sixteen year old"

"Grandpa just says that to remind me that as far as the lifespan of my species go I am merely a teenager and have far more to learn, I have in fact been alive for a total of forty-eight years"

"HOLY SHIT!" Yuffie roared making a number of young children behind her gasp, "even B ain't that old! You're actually the oldest of our group! You're like an old man! That's nuts"

The next question she was about to ask had also been on her mind for quite a while. She wanted to ask Red about his tail, about how it worked and how he wasn't always starting off forest fires. Before she could ask it however, the sound of the ocean came like music to her ears.

"The beach! We're here!"

Taking off at a sprint Yuffie could feel her heartbeat quickening in excitement, she absolutely adored the beach. Back in Wutai she used to spend half her life by the sea, making her affliction of extreme sea sickness all the more laughably ironic. Dashing for the golden paradise she kicked her boots off without a care for where they landed and started unbuttoning her clothes to strip down into the bikini she had underneath as quickly as possible. However before she could undress and just as her foot was about to touch sand, Red darted in front of her, knocking her backwards onto her rear with the side of his body and growling viciously.

"Oi! What's the big deal!?" she demanded climbing back up and rubbing her backside.

"Get Zack and the others" Red insisted, his words just about getting out through the deep menacing rumble in his throat.

"Why? They didn't want..."

"Get them Yuffie, now. It's Hojo"

"Hojo? As in the crazy scientist dude who did fucked up things to you, Zack and Aerith, Hojo?"

Red barely nodded, Yuffie had never seen but had heard from Jessie about the horrific things that the creep had done to them, especially keeping Zack in a tank of burning acid mako for four years.

"Right! Well that frail old freaks gonna get a taste of his own medicine!" Yuffie barked, rolling up her imaginary sleeves and marching towards the beach, fully prepared to go beat the twisted maniac to a pulp.

Red moved in front of Yuffie again and blocked her path.

"I assure you I would enjoy nothing more than to rip that man's throat out right here and now, but first we need answers that he can give. Now go get Zack while I keep watch."

The tone of Red's voice and the look on his face made Yuffie simply nod dumbly and without another word she began sprinting back to the hotel bare foot. For something to make Red sound the way he just did told Yuffie that once she got Zack, this Hojo dude was going to be in some serious trouble.


	31. Pivotal apex

**Chapter 31 Part 1- Pivotal apex**

Aerith placed a hand to his arm as they all arrived at the beach, with the state that Zack was in right now she knew that there was a good chance he would go down there and run Hojo through with his sword his trembling hand had grasped the hilt of.

"What's he doing here?" Tifa ground through clenched teeth, flexing her claws, literally.

"Well it looks like he's on vacation" Jessie squinted into the distance, frowning not just at the peculiarity of seeing the mad scientist in this kind of scenery but also that he still wore his lab coat while sprawled out on a sun lounger surrounded by three gorgeous bikini clad woman.

"That thing does not take vacations" Aerith shuddered.

Just seeing the monster again reminded her of the branding she had been defiled with and Aerith absently placed her hand to her side, quickly removing it when she saw Zack notice and inch his mythril saber further from its sheath.

"He's up to something" Cissnei remarked, standing a few paces behind the group, leaning against a tropical feature in the shade with her arms folded.

"I don't give'a crap what he thinks he's up ta', I'm puttin' this joker down"

Barret's sensory neuron activated gun whirred and locked as the barrel loaded and the safety was removed in a series of clicks. Recognizing that they needed answers from Hojo just as Red had, Zack spoke his first words since the brief few he had given Aerith after arriving in the sunshine state.

"Stop. There are too many people around, we need to lure him away"

"I agree, though precisely how do we achieve that?" Red queried as he padded over to join Cissnei in the shade.

"Well? Any ideas?" Jessie pressed when no one put forward a plan.

Aerith would have bet good money that it would be either Cissnei or Kunsel who came up with something first and she was proven correct when Kunsel stepped forward.

"There's a back entrance to the hotel basement, if someone goes running down there yelling for a doctor because someones injured from a wyvern attack, Hojo is bound to wanna check it out. Only thing is, we need that person to be someone he hasn't seen before"

"Well that rules out most of us" Tifa spoke hesitantly, not liking the direction this was going.

"Everyone except Cissnei and Yuffie" Kunsel confirmed.

"Actually not me" the petite woman interjected. "The president once sent a Turk undercover as a scientist in Hojo's lab to gain intel on exactly what he was up to. Hojo caught her and made a point of learning every Turks face meaning there's a good chance he'll recognize mine"

Leaving only one option left, all eyes turned to Yuffie who was distracted as always, trying to swish her hand through the fire of Red's tail.

"No" Tifa stated firmly to the group, grabbing the princess' arm and yanking Yuffie towards her. "She's not going anywhere near that deranged man"

"Hey, stop treating me like I'mma invalid" Yuffie wriggled away. "Just the other day I was in a friggin war for gods sake, I think I can handle one creepy old dude"

"We will remain vigilant and be watching the entire time" Red assured the martial artist.

"I still don't like it" Tifa firmed, turning to Kunsel, "come up with something else"

"Teef, she's already gone", the SOLDIER pointed over her shoulder making her twirl around and lurch forward as Yuffie marched towards the beach.

"YUFFIE!..."

Barret quickly placed a calming hand on Tifa's shoulder to halt her, "I's alright doll, let's jus' get this over with"

* * *

**Chapter 31 Part 2- Pivotal apex**

The heavy cellar door clanged shut behind him as Zack entered the pitch black room by himself, fortunately his mako enhancements allowed him to see what a decent job Cissnei had done at preparing the basement for their guest. It was a cold and dank room with no windows and only one entrance which was now being carefully guarded. With grey echoing walls and a strong smell of damp it was exactly the kind of room you didn't want to find yourself waking up in.

The slam of the door made the unconscious man tied to a chair in the center of the darkness jolt awake and though it was far from his usual nature, Zack found his lips curl in satisfaction to see the look of fear on Hojo's face. Five hard stone steps stood between Zack and the floor and he made sure that he articulated each step loudly so the sound bounced chillingly around the room.

"Wh-who's there!? I-I-I... I demand you release me immediately!"

Descending the final step Zack crossed the room slowly, feeling his fury grow alongside the panic in the scientists eyes as he got closer.

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?" Hojo spat wildly into the darkness, regaining his senses along with his vicious insanity. "I WILL HAVE YOUR HEADS ON A PLATE IF YOU DO NOT UNTIE ME THIS INSTANT YOU WRETCHED MORONS"

Placing his hands on the chair Cissnei had set up opposite the now profusely sweating scientist, Zack scraped the chair back painfully loud and sat down, letting the glow of his burning eyes remain the only light the man could see.

"I will" Zack growled octaves deeper than his normal voice, "if you can tell me who Cloud Strife was"

"CLOUD WHO!?"

"Wrong answer"

Hitting the switch carefully laid out by Cissnei, two bright lights angled at Hojo's face burst alight, blinding the professor and making him recoil in panic.

"Cloud... Cloud... I-I-I don't know any C-C-Cloud... I SAID I DON'T KNOW ANYONE CALLED FUCKING CLOUD YOU SNIVELING IGNORAMUS!"

"Wrong again, though perhaps he didn't have a name to you!" Zack's voice oozed with hatred as he darted from his chair to wrap his hand around Hojo's scrawny neck. "Perhaps you never even bothered to find it out! perhaps he was just another number to you!"

Though he practically spat in the mans face, his own remained concealed behind the glare of the hot lights.

"Which reminds me, I have a little present for you, something I picked up especially"

Releasing Hojo's throat which Zack was an inch of pressure away from crushing he walked across the room to get said 'present'. Suddenly through the coughing and spluttering as Hojo gasped for air, a deep wheezy cackle began from the slumped over man, slowly building in volume until he threw his head back in a completely unhinged howl of laughter.

"Something funny clown?"

Hojo's hysterics continued and he struggled to squeeze out the mocking response.

"So you brought me here so you could get revenge for your boyfriend, how amusing"

"Hmmm, we'll see if you're still laughing after I am finished with you"

Towering over the greasy creep again Zack hooked his foot around the front leg of the mans chair, sweeping it skyward and sending Hojo crashing backwards making the laughing cease as his head hit the concrete. The scientist released a hideous screeching sound but Zack ignored it and planted his boot into the pit of the mans arm and took a vicious hold of his wrist to keep his arm taut. Hojo thrashed and screamed as Zack took the equipment set up neatly on the table he had brought over and set to work on Hojo's arm.

"AH! AHHH! WHAT ARE YOU.. AHHhhhh! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

With every yelp Zack dug the needle deeper to make this as unpleasant an experience for the professor as possible, hoping that Hojo would never sleep well again from the nightmares of this moment just like Zack did every night since he escaped the mans inhumane prison.

"You'll have to excuse me, never was very good at drawing" Zack ridiculed after ten long minutes of Hojo's shrieking.

Pressing a heavy boot down on the chair leg, Zack sat the thing upright again so the panting scientist could see his work. Hojo raised his painful and bleeding arm to his face to see his work under the blinding lights, looking mortified to Zack's satisfaction at the boldly printed XV across his forearm.

"That's right fifteen, now you are nothing more than a mindless specimen, do you understand?" Zack whispered, pulling his chair over to sit on it backwards and hiss in Hojo's ear.

"You'll pay for this" Hojo snarled almost inaudibly under his heaving breath.

Zack dug the heel of his boot into the lunatics toes making him sing again.

"Sorry I didn't quite catch that, I asked you if you understood"

Zack released his boot and Hojo slumped forward again, breaking and nodding meekly in reply.

"Good... now I will ask you this only once fifteen, do you want to live?"

Another nod.

"Then answer everything I ask you without hesitation. I warn you though, try to lie to me and you're finished"

When Hojo simply sat drooling into his lap half unconscious Zack took that as confirmation of understanding.

"Where is Sephiroth heading and what is he after?"

Hojo glanced up in surprise, adjusting but still squinting into the intensely bright lights preventing his ability to see Zack. Despite not being able to see him, the question, the mako eyes and the probably hazy recognition of his voice was enough for Hojo to guess his identity.

"Ahhh now I see" Hojo's lips curled into a sadistic grin, "my old specimen, I was most disappointed when you disappeared. Tell me, how is my other specimen doing? the ancient, is she well?"

The mythril saber sitting readily at his side was at the scientists throat in an instant.

"Refer to her as yours or a specimen once more, I dare you"

The threat was by no means an empty one and Zack readied himself, if Hojo tried to call his bluff and say it he would cut the man's throat, answers or no answers. Fortunately the man picked up this and kept his mouth shut.

"Now answer my question"

"What question was that?" Hojo scoffed, pretending not to be paying attention.

Zack didn't hesitate in sucker punching the professor square in the face causing his head to snap backwards and spill blood. To the ex-SOLDIER's bewilderment the captive man simply started cackling as if he was taking some kind of enjoyment from the blow. Zack raised his fist again but Hojo sensed it and started talking.

"You feel it don't you?" Hojo chuckled, spitting blood.

"Feel what?"

He was in no mood for the scientists riddles and a punch to the face would seem gentle in comparison to what Zack had planned next if this wasn't going somewhere.

"Intriguing... simply intriguing... emphatic bond... Jenova cells... quite outstanding... reunion... remarkable..."

Hojo dropped into an incoherent trance like rambling making Zack lose patience.

"You better start making sense" Zack warned, audibly scrapping his sword against the floor.

The stern-faced professor looked up through the mess of long greasy locks hanging over his face, looking as if he had completely forgotten Zack was even there.

"Tell me, why are you chasing Sephiroth?" the man queried sounding amused.

"To kill him" was Zack's instant and confident reply.

Hojo started chuckling again in that aggravating way where his shoulders shook dramatically.

"Is that what you tell yourself puppet?"

"What did you call...

"Poor little puppet in denial" Hojo sang, "so that is the excuse you have told yourself for that constant feeling of being pulled somewhere, you feel it don't you? like you need to be somewhere... yes I'm right aren't I?... of course I am, I am a genius"

"You don't know anything about me!" Zack roared through grit teeth, trying to disguise that everything the mocking scientist had said was true.

"I bet you even hear voices in your head at times, am I right?"

Hojo's beady taunting eyes squinted through the light at his silhouette in sick pleasure when Zack couldn't muster the words to deny it.

"Even now you're trying to block them out aren't you? you want answers puppet? let them in and you'll get all the answers you need"

Despite wanting to do exactly the opposite of what the scientist had said, Zack found himself dropping the barrier he always subconsciously kept up ever since his encounter with Jenova trying to force him to set her free in the Shinra tower. A barrier that only ever slipped while he was sleeping, the place where the voices always found him. Zack's head began to swim and Hojo's piercing hysterical laughter as Zack's eyes began to glaze over, disoriented him too much to rebuild his defense.

Then there was that pain, that knee buckling, mind searing pain that brought him to the ground in agony, the same pain he felt when Sephiroth and Jenova invaded his mind. Collapsing from his seat Zack reached for the nearest thing to keep himself upright but only succeeded in bringing down the glaring lamp beside him in a shower of glass as he hit the floor, cutting one of the lights. Containing his scream to long excruciating grunts in his throat Zack was on hands and knees gasping to breathe, struggling to resurface as his head drowned in razor blades and the floor beneath the palms of his hands began to fade.

"What... what is... this?" he managed to squeeze out as everything continued to spin and warp.

Hojo leant as far forward in his chair as his bonds would allow with the darkest and most malevolent of hungry stares as he absorbed the phenomena before his no longer blinded eyes.

"The reunion boy, THE REUNION I TELL YOU! THE INVITATIONS ARE GOING OUT! IT IS BEGINNING! ahahahahHAHAHAHAHA"

Zack's head splintered and what faint haze of reality he still clung to vanished as the violently thundering S-cells in his body felt like they were trying to rip themselves from his body as his consciousness was pulled far far away.

* * *

**Chapter 31 Part 3- Pivotal apex**

When Zack reopened his eyes he had to feel at his eyelids to be sure he had actually done so, everything remained completely black and deathly silent.

_Ahhh, there you are_

Zack climbed to his feet in alarm, looking around in every direction and seeing nothing but eternal darkness.

"Who are you!? Where am I!?

_You know who Zack, I am with you, always with you  
_

"Jenova?"

Zack shifted into a fighting stance, challenging the darkness around him.

_Why do you continue to fight my son? Your brothers and I are all waiting for you_

"Show yourself!?" Zack yelled angrily into the endless void.

_Very well my child_

A light finally broke on the horizon, the only light in existence, giving way to the form of a breathtakingly beautiful woman who began to emerge from the darkness. The shimmering frost blue and translucent woman stepped towards him in a long flowing dress that still somehow managed to show off her slender womanly assets. Jenova continued approaching him with no care for personal space until she was practically upon him with fiercely pale blue eyes burning into his intensely. Zack stood his ground eyeing the being before him, knowing this beauty was just a disguise and trying to see through it as she circled him while running a delicate pastel white hand across his back and chest.

_I release you from captivity, even send you my most precious child to guide you home and still you continue to disappoint me_

Jenova spoke to him, even had a voice, yet her mouth never once moved making every word feel like an intimate yet disturbing violation of his mind.

"You... the voice in my dreams... it was you the whole time"

_Of course it was, I am your mother, I will always be here for you my son, to lead you when go astray  
_

Zack cringed and recoiled as Jenova caressed a hand to his face.

"You are not my mother! I'm putting an end to your twisted little game!"

The soothingly mellow blue light Jenova softly emitted, flared angrily as she snatched his chin roughly in her hand and forced him to look into her eyes.

_You will come or you will pay the price for disobeying me!_

Composing herself Jenova loosened her hold and smiled at him warmly, trying to appear innocent and caring but Zack could see the conniving malevolence behind her emotions.

_But I understand my son, you are still so scared and confused, here, come to me and I will give you the answers you came here to find_

Zack bit his tongue and took the step towards Jenova's outstretched palms, he needed answers and would have to trust himself not to be manipulated and separate the truth from the lies in whatever Jenova showed him. Caressing either side of Zack's face and running her hands through his hair in a way that was uncomfortably physical, his senses slowly started shutting off one by one until not one of them remained and he dropped out of consciousness.

_I will show you the way my son, you WILL fufill the task I require of you._

* * *

**Chapter 31 Part 4- Pivotal apex**

When he awakened it was in a place that was in stark contrast to the one he had just been in, everything was dazzling white and bending streaks of light which slowly began to mold themselves into solid shapes. The hazy structures of pure light erupted breathtakingly into colors, creating an entire landscape before his very eyes that was unlike anything Zack recognized or had seen before. A tall temple like structure stood high above a dense treeline of luscious forestry in an array of large golden blocks that pyramided up into the heavens. He didn't know what he was looking at or why Jenova was showing him it but he did know that wherever it was it was where Sephiroth was trying to get to and where he needed to be.

Committing the sight to memory Zack only had a few seconds to take the scene in before he was transported again with the same uncomfortable wrenching sensation. When his body ceased trying to tear itself apart he was left staring down at a snow-covered landscape at a dizzying height. He just hovered in nothingness with no form or figure of his own and it was disconcerting that he had no feeling or sensation for the gale surrounding him. Pushing aside the rush of fearful adrenaline the out-of-body experience was giving him, Zack tried to focus on what he was being shown and look down through the hurricane of billowing snow. He could barely make the scene out but one distinct and unmistakable landmark standing out vividly was the ominous dark crater that stood amidst an expanse of mountains. He knew enough about the geography of Gaia from his time in SOLDIER to know it was the northern crater that he was looking at.

This time when the scene changed he didn't feel the same sickening transportation like last time as he remained stationary while the world around him twisted and collided into multiple different scenes in rapid succession.

Nibelheim on fire. Sephioth's burning hateful stare. Cloud's eyes closing for the final time. Shinra executing hundreds of innocent people in sector seven including Biggs and Wedge. Tifa crying uncontrollably in a cell on her own. A pulsing black orb stood on a plinth. A gigantic burning meteor breaking through Gaia's atmosphere. An abandoned white city amidst a glowing forest of light. Aerith's face sinking beneath the surface of a lake and fading into the depths.

"Jenova, enough!"

She removed her touch from his head and Zack dropped to his knees as his head burned mercilessly and he was close to vomiting from the shifting between reality's.

"Why are you showing me this?" Zack panted, keeping his stomach down and fighting the urge to accept Jenova's open arms trying to support him.

_You know why my son. Oh my child, my poor poor child. You have suffered so much, suffered for so long under this wretched planet and its filth. Why do you continue to fight for a cause that has done nothing but forsake you and the ones you love? For a planet that has given you nothing but heartache and sorrow?_

Jenova somehow lifted him to his feet without even touching him and all Zack could do was shake violently as her words embedded themselves into his mind.

_Join me Zack and together we can purify this planet, I will even allow the Cetra girl to remain yours, her body and soul will belong to you for eternity. Think about it now my son, you and Aerith, together for an eternity in a place where neither of you are hunted nor persecuted, a world where she can be safe. Join your brothers and you can do this, you can save Aerith, it is the only way. Refuse me and she will die. Others will try to take her and you will not be able to stop them forever, you know this is so._

Bile rose up in his throat as he stared at the hand Jenova held out to him, urging him to accept it. He wanted to decline it but the truth of the calamities words plagued hid mind. Aerith had come close to danger on so many occasions now, how much longer could he realistically expect to keep her safe? How long until Rufus Shinra was proven right and his luck ran out? He once said he would do anything to keep Aerith safe and if that meant selling his own soul to the devil or tearing this world apart, he would do it without hesitation.

Zack's hand twitched and Jenova smirked as he visibly struggled at the critical crossroads that would inevitably decide the fate of so many lives. When Zack found his hand edging closer towards the calamities, there was a strong possibility he would have taken it if it hadn't of been for the voice that called out to him from behind.

"Don't do it Zack"

He snatched his hand away from Jenova's making her growl. Turning around hardly able to believe his ears, Zack's heavy breathing froze when his eyes told him the same thing.

"... Cloud?"

"She's lying, she'll kill Aerith the first chance she gets"

Cloud strode forward, carrying a huge six-part great sword that Zack recognised over one shoulder, looking totally different to the young scrawny cadet he once knew. He was solidly built and seemed taller now with the steely mako eyes that could only be described as those of a warriors. He wore a dark sleeveless jumper very much like the one Zack wore except his was a zip up and a black cape draped itself over Cloud's left shoulder, hanging from the single black shoulder guard that was donned with the head of a wolf.

Both SOLDIER's approached one another in unison until they stood directly facing each other and though his instinct told him it was Cloud, Zack had to be sure.

"Back at base, when you were stuck on laundry duty for a week, what happened to the dry stores closet?"

Cloud smiled and Zack didn't even need to hear the response to know it was him.

"We, or should I say you Zack, thought it would be a good idea to try and get the job done quicker by drying the outfits out with fire materia. You burned the entire room to the ground along with six-hundred SOLDIER uniforms"

Zack laughed briefly and Cloud's eyes shone with amusement, the sight of which made a lump form in Zack's throat and all humor left his expression. Seeing Cloud and knowing why he was in this place and not where he belonged with Tifa was choking Zack up and all he could do was nod to Cloud in what was potentially the most pitiful way of thanking someone for saving their life. The blonde simply stared at him in understanding, not saying a word like Cloud often did and Zack was determined not to break in front of him so he threw two light punches into his friend's arm and tried to transition to light-heartedness.

"You're looking pretty badass spike, I said it all along didn't I? I always knew you had it in ya"

"Yeah."

Simultaneously linking hands to forearms Zack pulled his young friend who now looked older than him into a hug and with all the thousands of questions floating around in his mind he should be asking, the one about the sword was most precious to him.

"The fusion sword, you really built that thing?"

"Just as we planned it, more or less" Cloud grinned as Zack squeezed and turned his shoulder slightly to look at it.

Back at SOLDIER one of the many pass times they enjoyed together during hours they should've been working or training was coming up with ideas and blue prints for the most ridiculous and awesome swords they could possibly imagine. They both loved weapons and the fusion sword had been their greatest and wackiest idea yet, an ultimate sword comprised of six different blades that could be detached and wielded for virtually any and every situation.

Zack wanted to spend so much more time and ask so many more question but their friendly exchange was interrupted by Jenova hissing with rage as she realized who the new intruder was. Becoming alert they took up fighting stances beside one another while Cloud drew the fusion blades and Zack, oddly enough, the buster sword which was somehow on his back.

"Give it up Jenova" Cloud ordered sternly, casting Zack a sidelong glance that told him there was no chance that she would.

"You may have power in this realm guardian, but you remain powerless to stop me in the real world!"

As Jenova drooled her words with pure malevolence at Cloud, her features slowly began to swell and morph and the beautiful woman was gruesomely mutilated in front of them out of recognition as Jenova took her true form.

"WITNESS WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO STAND IN MY WAY!"

Dark red tentacles started to protrude from Jenova's back and her arm grew into one enormous claw while the creature doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled in size until Zack was staring up a giant faceless abomination. Zack swallowed hard and briefly flicked his eyes at Cloud, amazed to see his friend did not look in the least bit fazed as if he had seen this all before.

"Watch the tail" Cloud stated plainly without taking his eyes off Jenova.

Zack had no clue how Cloud would know that thing even had a tail, Jenova specimens were hardly in the SOLDIER guidebook of 'beasts and monsters of Gaia'. Never the less Zack took the hint and when something that resembled a tail rose from behind Jenova he prepared to move. A flash of sapphire light and Zack dashed for the specimen as fast as his mako would allow while the spot he and Cloud had stood at erupted and the fabric of pure darkness that surrounded them was torn, spilling light into the universe.

Zack moved undeniably fast but Cloud's speed was beyond incredible, beyond what Zack had even see Sephiroth achieve. The blonde didn't hesitate to engage and was over Jenova is a blur of attacks that further ripped through the dark veil as spells, tentacles and claws tried to strike at Cloud but he never once missed a beat. Spinning into the fray Zack swung the old familiar weight of the buster sword, slashing multiple times and cutting deep into the gruesome protrusion at Jenova's side. Splitting the blue and red rubbery hide a spew of deep green blood covered the area as well as the majority of one of Zack's arms which instantly felt like a gallon of gasoline had been poured on it and lit into flames, making him scream out violently. The familiar glow and soothing warmth of healing materia spread across the area as Cloud quickly cast a cure three materia between attacks against the bulk of the calamities body. Given the scarcest hint of an opening Jenova lunged at Cloud with what should look like a head, trying to bite at him with teeth and fangs. Pushing off to reach the good twenty-five foot height that the creature stood Zack slammed the head away with the blunt and weight of the buster sword.

The alien parasite screeched and writhed in fury as Jenova launched a series of aero spells, knocking Zack through the air before he could hack away and do anymore damage. Hitting the floor Zack skidded across the black surface, his stomach lurching as he slipped into one of the tears that Jenova or Cloud had torn into the fabric of reality and latched on for dear life. Hyperventilating deeply, Zack felt the air in his lungs escaping in heavy pants at the sheer shock of what he was seeing. He clung by fingertips to the black void while his body hung suspended thousands of feet above the snowy northern continent he had seen earlier. Zack's eyes widened at the sight of the sheer drop below him, it was like he was in some twisted portal game that he wouldn't have believed to be real if it weren't for the fiercely cold winds lashing against him and the thin air at this altitude making it hard to breath.

He could still hear Cloud battling Jenova alone and yet as he hung there suspended, he was more concerned for the calamity then he was Cloud. Somehow his old partner in crime was fighting with a strength and skill that far surpassed his or anyone he had ever seen for that matter. Regardless, he wouldn't take the chance of leaving Cloud to fight alone.

Ignoring the snowy gale trying to bite his fingers away from the ledge he clung to, Zack pulled himself back into the realm of sheer darkness and was greeted by three dangerously barbed tentacles that snaked out from the ground, connected to the Jenova specimen and looking ready to attack.

"Oh great"

They engaged him with a speed you would expect the mother of Jenova and S-cells capable of, a speed that the heavy buster sword was not capable of keeping pace with. He tried to fend them off but the blade simply could not keep up and the number of puncture wounds that landed slowly started to increase.

"ZACK!"

Cloud hacked away the freakishly large claw Jenova tried to gauge him with and then broke away into the air to detach two of the 'back blades' from the fusion sword and toss them towards Zack. Blasting the three attacking tentacles with a fire two spell, Zack gave himself time to return the buster sword to his back and catch the light agile blades midair. The new weapons granted him the speed and maneuverability to take on the three tentacles that fought like three well-trained SOLDIER's and it pushed him to the limits of his skill. Zack danced and tangled with the things trying to impale and lacerate him but as the fighting raged on Zack started to pick up momentum and gained dominance over the tentacles until one failed to move away fast enough. Capitalizing on the opportunity the right-handed blade cut the thick serpent like body clean in half and Zack was sure to dodge the gushing river of blood this time.

The two remaining tentacles started shying away making him smirk in victory, it was as if these things had a mind of their own. Not allowing them to escape after his hard fought battle Zack charged at them but ground to a halt, the grin on his face being wiped off when the severed tentacle rapidly sprouted in multiple directions and two writhing atrocity's took the fallen ones place, now leaving him with four opponents to deal with.

"That's not good" Zack mumbled, his pupils dilating and diving sidewards to dodge another wave of attacks.

"Spikey! you almost done over there buddy?" Zack yelled urgently as even his max record of one-hundred and sixty strikes per minute couldn't keep up with this new threat.

When no reply came Zack rolled away again to take the risk of checking on his ally and caught sight of the moment Cloud and Jenova hurled two incredibly powerful beams of colored energy at one another, tearing through the borders separating them from the icy plunge below. The attacks met each other headlong and the ear splitting blast or the explosion of incinerating light must have knocked him unconscious for a few seconds because the next thing Zack knew, his arms, hair, legs and clothes were billowing roughly in the wind and he was falling through frozen air towards the white abyss below. Stomach doing cartwheels and cold air being forced viciously into his lungs Zack tried to stabilize his uncontrollable tumbling and flipped over in mid air to see Cloud and Jenova still locked in heated battle as they fell through the sky. Cloud had done one hell of a number on the monster and it was clear that the calamity was no match for the baffling level of skill that Cloud possessed. Recognizing this fact also Jenova screamed chillingly into the glacial sky's and two hideously deformed wings burst from her back as she took off in retreat.

Diving through the empty snowy void Zack spread himself out to try to slow his descent, though the chances of surviving after falling this far and reaching terminal velocity was slim. Cloud on the other hand came bulleting towards him as straight as an arrow to catch up to Zack as fast as possible with a look of panic on his face. Through intensely watering eyes and the thick curtain of falling snow Zack could just about make out Cloud's moving mouth, yelling something to him but it was lost to the thundering gush of wind they hurtled through.

Cloud chased after him, getting closer to desperately try and tell him something but with every second he felt the calamity getting further away from him, Zack growingly started becoming fainter and more light-headed. Feeling strange he moved his hand in front of his face and gazed at it transfixed as it pulsed briefly between solid color and invisible transparency. He was fading, Jenova had brought him here and now she was leaving so was he.

"...THE ANCIENTS!"

Catching the end of his voice Zack looked up again at Cloud racing through the sky, watching bewildered as the edges of Cloud's hair and the fusion sword in his hand started turning to frost. Cloud finally caught up and grabbed the front of his shirt, shaking him from his daze and shouting the desperate message as urgently as he could before they hit the ground and Zack was returned to the dark, damp basement a universe away.

"KEEP AERITH AWAY FROM THE CITY OF THE ANCIENTS!"


	32. Living tonight

**Chapter 32 Part 1- Living tonight**

Kunsel laid on top of the hotel bed just staring up at the ceiling with his hands linked behind his head, trying not to think about anything and find peace in blank serenity. It never worked for the SOLDIER though as his infernal mind always had to be thinking about something. Quietly he cursed himself and his constant over analyzing which was to blame for the way he acted irrationally towards Cissnei earlier.

He had expected too much from her and been too presumptuous in thinking that what they shared in Condor together had become a permanent thing. Kunsel knew how hard this 'relationship' stuff was for her, if he could even call it that, and now he felt like shit for giving her a hard time over one of the qualities he loved most about Cissnei. Her secretly shy and vulnerable nature, it was a side he adored, a side she hid from the rest of the world beneath the tough Turk facade, a side she had shown only to him, a trust he might now have blown completely.

 _Screw that,_ he told himself climbing to his feet.

Kunsel Haringer did not accept defeat so easily, he could fix this, fix things with the woman he was going insane over and never seemed to leave his mind. Throwing a pointless glance at the wall mounted mirror as he strode towards the door he smirked at his reflection, unable to deny he was naturally gifted with hair that looked its best when simply left alone. In fact grooming or messing with it only ever seemed to make it look worse.

Marching out the room he clicked the door shut behind him and set a path for the hotel basement where despite wanting to be outside when Zack interrogated Hojo, they agreed it was best if only two people stood guard as not to arouse suspicion. Red had been the obvious first choice, his sense of smell being the most acute of anyone's senses to pick up on anyone approaching soonest. The final spot had not even been up for discussion as Cissnei swiftly and firmly insisted that she would to do it, something that still to this moment worried Kunsel. There had been an urgency in her voice, almost a desperation that disturbed him and whether or not she wanted to confide in him her sudden interest in Hojo, he would be there to listen if ever she did.

Traveling down the hotel corridor that had cooled considerably as night fell, he made his way towards the ground floor, going unarmed. Walking passed the numerous identical doors along the way his mako hearing picked up on the sound of quiet sniffling coming from behind one of them, making him pause mid stride.

It was Aerith, probably still hurt by the fact that Zack had still not spoken to her properly since they arrived in Costa Del Sol and was shutting her along with everyone else out. That combined with seeing the mad scientist again after what he did to her would weight heavy on anyone's heart, especially for a person like Aerith who despite her hatred for Hojo, was deeply disturbed by the possibility that Zack or the others would kill him. She had a limitlessly compassionate and gentle nature that even extended itself towards her enemy's and incredibly she didn't want to see the scientist be executed. While Kunsel thought this kindness dangerous and foolish, it was also something he admired about the flower girl and made her so distinctly unique to the rest of the group.

Stepping back on his heel he decided to knock, creating a flutter of movement on the other side as Aerith obviously rushed around to fix herself and disguise any trace that she had been crying. Opening up the door with a smile plastered on her face, Aerith tried to over compensate with the level of cheeriness in her voice as she leaned against the door frame grinning and tilting her head at him inquiringly.

"Oh hey Kunsel! What's up?"

He hesitated for a bit, he hadn't actually thought about what he was going to say. He didn't want to embarrass the girl by saying he had heard her crying when clearly she didn't want anyone to know, so he stumbled along with anything that came to mind.

"Hi, I uhh... I was just passing by and thought I would check in, see if everything's alright… so err, is it?"

"Yeah I'm great thanks" she chirped brightly, which looked rather odd considering her eyes were puffy and red.

"You sure?" he asked in return instinctively, though he regretted it when it made Aerith feel like she had to give up her act.

"You know I was crying don't you?" she mumbled, keeping her eyes on him but dropping her head ashamedly.

Kunsel was going to say no but he paused for too long making it pointless to try to deny it so he just nodded and Aerith's expression dropped even lower.

"Aerith, you know you don't have to be ashamed of crying right?"

She lifted her head rather sharply, looking like she dearly wanted to believe that was true but couldn't. Releasing the edge of the door she clung to, Aerith stepped out into the corridor towards him in a bit of a frenzy.

"But I do Kunsel! I do!... Tifa never cries!"

Her reaction didn't surprise him, nor did it that she had used Tifa as her reference. Though most of the group remained oblivious to it, Kunsel had picked up on the strange connection between Zack and Tifa and it was only natural that Aerith, who he knew noticed it also, would feel insecure and compare herself against the martial artist.

"That's not true, Tifa cries believe me" Kunsel tried to offer some comfort.

"Only about things that matter! like when people get hurt or when Biggs and Wedge... when they..." Aerith couldn't say it and her big emerald eyes started welling up again. "See! Look at me!...I even cry sometimes over stuff and I don't even know what I'm crying for! Over stuff I can't even make sense of!"

"And there's nothing wrong in that" he tried again.

"Yes there is! it's weak, compared to all of you I'm the weak one... I know that. I'm nothing but a burden to you, to Zack, to the whole group... something helpless that needs protecting."

A silence fell between them and the flower girl stood clenching her teeth so she wouldn't cry, refusing to look at anything but the ground.

"Aerith look at me... look at me" he repeated when she wouldn't, "Where would I be right now if it weren't for you? Answer me that"

"That's different Kuns..."

"No, no it's not. I'd be dead, have you forgotten that? And Zack would be to."

She looked up at him in a mix of confusion and shock as she quickly brushed away the first tear that dared to fall.

"That's right, he would" Kunsel reinforced firmly, "after Zack got out of that tank Hojo put him in, after Cloud died and Shinra took away almost everything that he cared for, he almost gave up. It's hard to come back from something like that... I know, but there was one thing that kept him going, that stopped him from tearing Shinra to the ground and himself along with it. It was you Aerith, you gave him a reason to live. That reason was to get back to Midgar and find you."

Aerith's face at this point was such a vast array of emotions that not even he could decipher them.

"You don't need to say anything" Kunsel urged giving her shoulder a friendly squeeze when she seemed to struggle with forming words to say, "we all fall from time to time and there's no shame in that. We're friends and that means we pick each other up. So chin up ok?"

He tapped the underside of the girls chin and now there was no confusion or guessing on what emotion Aerith currently expressed, she was smiling again. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath while fixing a small white orb he only just realized she had been holding into her favorite pink bow that tied the top of her long waist length plait.

She smiled at him again and nodded sweetly in gratitude, "I don't know where we would be without you Kunsel."

Aerith moved forward and wrapped her arms around his midriff, squeezing him in the middle and making Kunsel chuckle as he fondly returned the sentiment by patting her on the back.

"Well I know Zack for one would probably still be stuck on round island."

Aerith unlocked herself from him and looked up with a questioning stare.

"Round island?"

"Did I never tell you the story about round island!?"

The flower girl shook her head, letting out a small giggle as she could already sense a story coming along, always happy to listen for many fond hours about his and Zack's past.

"I was just heading off to see how Cissnei, Red and Zack are getting on, how about we go together while I tell you it?" he asked while offering out his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.

Nodding she happily took it and they began strolling alongside one another arm in arm at a leisurely pace down the corridor.

"So it all started when Zack misread the SOLDIER handbook on these edible wild berries we found outside the materia cave. To this day he still swears blind that the green moogle that lead him off into the forest was real..."

* * *

**Chapter 32 Part 2- Living tonight**

Cissnei stood up and shifted away from the hard stool, her backside feeling numb as she opted to go stand against the wall. Zack had been in there with Hojo for nearly three hours and although Zack had categorically insisted that no one was to enter, she was starting to consider it. Staring across at Red, hidden in the doorway, they exchanged an acknowledging glance at their joint concern. Frustratingly none of Red's extra sensitive senses could penetrate the thick metal door of the basement and now she was contemplating just how angry Zack would be if he caught her taking a quick peak.

Deciding she would wait ten more minutes Cissnei remained tilted against the wall with her arms folded, a stand-offish position she realized she adopted far too often. Red smirked at her as she tried uncrossing her arms to let them hang by her side but eventually found the absent dangling too strange and folded them again.

Smirking back sheepishly at their feline companion she decided to start small-talk even though she and most probably Red generally disliked it.

"So you're from Cosmo Canyon right?"

Red nodded with no hint of annoyance in his single golden eye which was a good sign.

"That is correct, grandfather says my ancestors have guarded the Canyon ever since the Cosmo candle first burned into existence. It is the same eternal fire each of my kind carry, linking us to the Canyon and our duty to protect it."

Red flicked the orange and red embers on the tip of his tail in front of his face as he spoke.

"I've always wondered, when you talk about your grandfather you seem to talk about him in the present tense. How can that be? I thought you were the last off your species?"

"Oh yes, I can see how misleading that might seem, my apologies. After my mother died and my father... well he is not worth talking about, I was only in my first year of life and unable to fend for myself. I was taken in by the village elder and he took care of me, raised me as his own and in turn I came to refer to him as 'grandfather', though he is in fact a human and we are not biologically related"

"The village elder? Of Cosmo Canyon?"

Red nodded.

"So your grandfather is Bugenhagen?"

"You know my grandfather!?" Red asked quickly, climbing onto his paws.

"Yeah, I know.. or should I say knew him quite well. Admittedly we may not have been on the same side at the time but I still respected him greatly."

Red looked extremely surprised if not disturbed and doubtful by Cissnei's revelation.

"I do not wish to be rude Cissnei but I cannot believe my grandfather would have had any dealings with a Turk."

"Well you should, Bugenhagen may not like Shinra or Turks but he is no fool to the politics of this world. He has had many dealings with them, even dealings with the former president of the company himself."

Red briefly looked mortified and outraged by her comment but his intelligent mind remained rationale and eventually he worked out the logic in Cissnei's words and that she had no reason to lie. Red dropped his head and nodded in acceptance, looking thoroughly downcast. It was clear that Bugenhagen had never told him, probably to keep him from becoming a research specimen for as long as he could.

A short silence fell between the pair while she let Red handle the news. During the silence she thought back to her time in the Canyon, her time with the wise old man and the lessons he had taught her until something suddenly clicked.

"So you're Nanaki!?"

Red was just as amazed as Cissnei was at herself for remembering such an insignificant distant memory from two years ago when Bugenhagen mentioned the name in passing when he showed her his planetarium. Cissnei had gone there on a mission disguised as a peaceful mediator between Shinra and the tribe of the Canyon but had really been sent there to assess and report on the town's defences.

At the time her word could have brought about the destruction of Cosmo Canyon but instead Cissnei had reported that the mountainous environment and the extremely narrow pathways that lead up to the Canyon would make any attack extremely perilous if not virtually impossible. While this was true to an extent she had also massively underplayed Como's vulnerabilities, such as the lacking numbers of trained warriors they had in order to dissuade Shinra from attacking. It was one of the reasons why such a small native village had remained one of the last places untouched by Shinra's greed.

Cissnei was never quite sure why she did what she did in covering up for the Canyon. Perhaps it was something about the untainted beauty of the place and the things that Bugenhagen had shown her that made even a cold, ruthless Turk like her unwilling to be the catalyst that saw it burned to the ground.

"I'm sorry, I won't tell any of the others..." Cissnei continued, concerned about just how much Red had wanted to keep his true identity a secret. After all, she of all people could understand that.

"I do not mind, I see you as friends now whereas before I did not trust this group of humans at first we met. I think Hojo can be thanked for that" he growled distastefully at the cellar door.

At the mention of the scientist Cissnei huffed in exasperation and dropped her head back against the wall impatiently after giving Red an acknowledging nod.

_What on earth could Zack be doing in there?_

It was with that last thought that it crossed Cissnei's mind that things could have escalated between Hojo and Zack and the SOLDIER may have already killed the man making her stand rigid in alarm. A wave of panic washed over Cissnei at the thought that Hojo might be dead and she ran over to the heavy cellar door to hurriedly unbolt it.

Red leaped to his feet and lunged beside her looking up at Cissnei in frenzied concern but making no move to stop her. "What is it!? What is the matter!?"

Cissnei yanked on the door and the moment she did Zack came tumbling out gasping for breath and looking ill. She quickly caught him as his entire weight fell forward making her groan as her back arched to try and support his heavy weight.

"Woah take it easy" Cissnei strained as Red grabbed the back of Zack's clothing between his teeth to pull him upright and help some of his weight off her.

"I'm sorry" Zack panted shakily regaining some of his balance, the front of his black spikes plastered to his forehead that were dripping in sweat.

"ZACK! ZACK WHAT'S WRONG!?", Aerith's sudden unexpected voice made Cissnei jolt and the flower girl bolted over and grabbed her boyfriend by the shoulders looking over his body fearfully. "Are you hurt!? What happened!?"

It took Zack a while to focus and when he finally saw it was Aerith in front of him, he ran his hand over the curves of her face and up into her hair affectionately like he was feeling whether or not she was a ghost. "...I'm... alright... I know where to go now... but Aerith... I need you... to never leave my side... I need you to promise me that."

"Why? Where are we going? What did Hojo say?"

"... just... just promise me Aerith... promise me you won't go anywhere without me."

"Ok, I do, I promise."

Hearing the flower girl make the same promise she had made to Kunsel, Cissnei's heart sunk into her boots and she turned to see Kunsel stood at the entrance of the room with a confused frown at Zack's behaviour. Catching her stare with those incredible eyes unlike anything else on this planet, Kunsel gave her a smile and Cissnei could almost sob as she absorbed the kindness and affection he looked at her with. She could almost sob because this could truly be the last time she ever saw that admiration directed at her again, that warm heavenly gaze that told Cissnei she still had a chance with the only man she had truly fallen head over heels for.

"I'll explain everything later..." Zack announced, sounding exhausted as Aerith took his arm around her and guided him in the direction of his room, "I just need... to think for a while."

Cissnei trembled on the spot as she looked between Zack as he left and Kunsel stood in the doorway, this was the moment, the moment that everything could change if Hojo confirmed her suspicions. She desperately wanted to be wrong, she didn't want what she would have to do to be true, so much so she was almost tempted to stay quiet and let the mystery die with Hojo. For once she could be happy, she could have real friends and live the life she always envied, she could even fall in love... and yet Cissnei knew if she turned her back on this she would never forgive herself, it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"ZACK!?"

Aerith and Zack paused and everyone turned to look at her.

"I need to speak to Hojo... myself."

"What about?" Zack frowned, taking a step towards her as he removed his arm from around Aerith.

"I... I can't tell you. Please, this is just something I need to do"

The group leader stared at her for a time until he nodded, trusting her without further question and left with Aerith while Red followed behind in the strong possibility that Zack could collapse.

Turning away she faced the cellar door, not needing to look to know that Kunsel, who was the only one who remained, was staring at her.

"I'm sorry about this morning" she called keeping her eyes fixed on the door, "I know I'm sending you mixed messages and I don't mean to."

Kunsel didn't say anything at first and as time went on Cissnei started thinking that he wasn't going to until she felt two strong arms wrap around her torso from behind, holding her perfectly. She closed her eyes and exhaled shakily, placing both of her hands on the pair in front of her stomach while resting her head back against his shoulder, allowing herself this one final moment to be in his touch.

"Remember what I said about saying sorry Rekka? Never say sorry... never change, I want you to stay just the way you are."

His breath brushed against her neck and ear making it harder every second to resist turning her back on interrogating Hojo. "Do you want me to go in with you?"

When she nearly said yes her eyes widened and Cissnei broke away from his arms before it was too late.

"No! You can't!" she stated a lot firmer then she had intended which she immediately regretted and tried to repair, "It's not you Kunsel, its really not... I just need to find something out on my own. Out of everyone I really wish I could tell you the most, but I..."

"You don't need to explain anything" Kunsel cut her off with that usual gorgeous light-hearted tone of his, "you do what you have to do, I'll be waiting right out here."

Cissnei stared at the SOLDIER for a few minutes, her heart both breaking and fluttering at the same time until she couldn't take it anymore and she undid the space she had created between them to embrace him as close as she could and lay her head against his chest to hear that strong heartbeat one last time.

"Anyone would be lucky to have you Kunsel Haringer... I would be lucky to have you..."

Before he could speak and make this any harder than it already was, Cissnei turned and made a direct line for the cellar door. Without turning back she opened it and entered to finally get the answers she needed, the answers that could potentially destroy everything.

* * *

**Chapter 32 Part 3- Living tonight**

Squeezing the damp tips of her scarlet hair that hung to the middle of her back when it wasn't in its usual high ponytail, Jessie made her way back with Yuffie from their midnight trip to the beach. Yuffie had made the engineer keep her word that they would go to the beach later and in Yuffie's world that even meant at the dead of night.

"See Jess, told ya nothing was gonna get you" Yuffie teased, twirling on the spot with her arms outstretched, breathing in the cool crisp night air.

"Not that you would have been able to see..." she mumbled as the ninja laughed at her.

Jessie had admittedly been a huge wuss about entering the dark water when they first arrived. The ocean just seemed so much creepier at night and the thought of entering the black sea and having something attach itself to her leg had freaked her out. After much coaxing Yuffie had got her to go in and Jessie was glad of it because she had to admit it had been fun, actually fun didn't quite cut it, it had been one of the most thrilling times of her life, minus her encounter with a certain red-headed Turk up against the mythril mines.

"Zack and Kunsel could probably see" Yuffie remarked making both girls turn to each other, wide-eyed and grinning. "Imagine if one of them had come looking for us and we didn't notice!"

Both girls started giggling together. Jessie had been flabbergasted when Yuffie got completely naked and dove into the ocean but the princess insisted that skinny dipping at night was practically mandatory and no one was going to see them. Eventually Jessie decided to throw her inhibitions to the wind and joined in with the exhilarating midnight escapade but now the more she thought about it the more she realized that Yuffie's comment that Zack or Kunsel could have seen them was not an entirely impossible situation making her gasp and grab Yuffie by the shoulders.

"Oh god! seriously Yuff! What if one of them did see us!? What if they came looking for us and saw!? Damn it, I knew I should've brought my goggles" she cursed, night vision being one of the fairly recent modifications she had added to the beloved accessory she was rarely seen without.

"Well if bight-eyes saw then we'll never know, Zack on the other hand can't hide his thoughts for squat and will probably turn into a big bumbling beetroot the next time we see him" Yuffie chuckled without a care.

Jessie withered at the thought that one of them saw her naked and prayed that it had taken them longer to interrogate Hojo then planned but she quickly switched her thoughts away from that dark subject. She didn't like the whole situation with Hojo just as much as Aerith and tried her best to keep the subject far from her mind. Whatever they decided to do with the man she would support without question or judgement. Yet killing him just made it seem like they were sinking to Shinra's level and it disturbed Jessie. Then again letting that deranged monster loose again seemed equally as bad. Just as Barrett would say, 'tha' whole damn thing's jus' messed up'.

Jessie laughed to herself at the coincidence that just as she had thought about the big guy, they arrived outside a local bar where she would wager good money that it was just the place the man would be.

"Come on! Let's go in here!" Yuffie yelled excitedly and grabbed Jessie by the hand to pull her towards the light spilling out from the open doorway of the noisy bar.

"But you're still only sixteen Yuff" Jessie tried to point out sensibly making them stop.

"So what? Your eighteen now, you can just get us drinks."

Jessie hesitated, she could practically see Tifa's reprimanding stare now as the martial artist scolded her with hands on hips in disappointment. Yuffie clawed at her with big round eyes, urging them to continue their young and reckless night of mischief and it didn't take much to break Jessie down.

"Ahh to hell with it!" Jessie let loose, not even caring that both her hair and clothes were a damp mess.

"Woohoo! You're the best!" Yuffie celebrated, kissing Jessie square on the lips and smushing her cheeks together like they were made of play dough.

The princess dragged Jessie by the hand towards the wave of sound and through the scattering of people who milled around outside the bar with drinks in hand. Getting to the door Yuffie let Jessie go in first where they were forced to squeeze passed a group of loud boisterous men to gain entry to the bar. As she passed through the doorway Jessie froze as she felt a hand grope her backside making her whirl around and turn on the man directly behind her.

"HEY! THAT'S NOT COOL!"

The short rosy-cheeked man looked at her startled and when Jessie heard Yuffie snickering she looked to see the princess creased over laughing. Face turning red Jessie quickly apologized to the man and died of embarrassment as she hurried away into the warm crowded bar. Yuffie continued cackling as they snaked their way through the bodies and Jessie's attempts to swear at the princess were drowned out by the thundering roar of "DRINK! DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" so she settled on punching Yuffie in the arm instead.

Zig-zagging towards the bar the loud jovial chanting got louder as they got closer to the large circle where both men and women, most of who were on their holidays, stood cheering emphatically. It was as she passed by the mob that Jessie's ears picked out a familiar booming voice that she should have guessed would be at the center of such an alcohol related fiasco.

"Ya' gone drink tha'... or ya' gone jus' sit there an' shtare at it?

"Ow about you kiss ma' ass beefcake?"

"Tha's it foo', keep talkin' 'cause ya' jus' ain't got it in ya'."

"Ya know where I'm from… *hic*, thems there be fightin' words."

"Bring it on blondie!"

"Oh I will ya' big bitch, right after I drink ya sorry ass under this table!"

Another roar of applause went up as another drink was clearly downed successfully and Jessie wormed herself into the circle to see Barret sat at a table covered in an inconceivable number of shot glasses, huffing but still looking impressed that he had finally found a worthy opponent. Meanwhile Cid Highwind was stood celebrating somewhat inappropriately towards an adoring crowd of highly intoxicated holiday goers.

"I see you've met Cid" Jessie laughed, stepping forward and placing one of her small hands on Barrett's globe sized shoulders.

"OOH?" Barrett slurred loudly above the noise.

"Ahhh if it ain't tha' little tech whizz! Come ta' join us sweetheart!?" Cid hollered, slumping back down in his seat after he had finished gyrating at the crowd.

"Who ya'... callin' sweet'art!?" Barrett burped angrily.

"I'M IN!" Yuffie cheered, pulling up a random stool to take a seat at the drinking table.

"Oh no you're not."

Jessie watched as Yuffie was plucked off the chair and twirled around to face up at none other than Tifa, making the princess' face sink that they had been busted so early in the night. Much to both girls surprise however the martial artist put her drink in Yuffie's hand and grinned.

"If you're going to drink it's going to be with me and it won't be any of the disgusting swill these little BOYS are drinking."

Barrett and Cid glared indignantly at Tifa with furrowed brows and then at each other as she labelled their ego-centric competition as childish. They stared, they squinted, they glared and then they quickly downed another shot and the bar erupted into cheers. The betting continuing among the punters on which one of the two most phenomenal drinkers most of them had ever seen would arise, or more likely collapse, victorious.

Tifa inclined her head over to Jessie to join her and Yuffie, whose face still didn't quite look like it had registered that Tifa was actually letting her have alcohol. Jessie broke into an elated smile and hurried over to them, she didn't know what the cause for Tifa's happy care free mood was but all she did know was that tonight was going to be a good night.

* * *

**Chapter 32 Part 4- Living tonight**

Forty-five minutes had passed since Cissnei had gone in to extract whatever information she was seeking from Hojo and Kunsel stood outside with Red the entire time, deep in thought but still unable to fathom what she could possibly need from the scientist so desperately. Regardless of what it could be it had to be serious because forty-five minutes for a Turk's interrogation was unheard of. the fear people carried for Turk's alone normally had people spilling every ounce of detail they could within seconds, then again Hojo was no 'normal' person.

When the bolt on the door finally opened, Kunsel was interrupted from his stupor and he looked up in unison with the incredibly patient feline. The door opened slowly and Cissnei quietly emerged, looking unreadable as she stepped out from the shadows and moved across the room. Neither him nor Red spoke, they just observed her intently.

"Hey, are you ok?" he ventured carefully, breaking the silence as softly as his voice could manage.

Cissnei looked at him for the barest of moments looking empty and hollow. Kunsel took a single step towards her but much to his alarm she instantly burst into wild tears and ran from the room.

"CISSNEI!?"

Kunsel took off after her, turning back briefly to signal to Red to keep watch over their prisoner. He wound his way through empty corridors and up stairwells of the night-time hotel, following the sound of Cissnei's feet as she made a clear dash towards her room. Knowing he needed to get to her before she locked herself away, he cheated and started using mako to catch her up in the hallway her room was located.

"Rekka! Wait!" he called just as she had the door half-open but thankfully she stopped.

"Kunsel please! Please just go!" she choked, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth as he caught the faint glimmer of tears tracking down her cheeks in the dimly lit corridor.

"I wish I could but I can't, with you I just can't."

Her expression deepened further into sorrow and pain and her tears began to flow faster at his words.

"No... don't say stuff like that anymore... forget about me... about us..."

"I couldn't even if I wanted to. I'm crazy about you Rekka."

She inhaled heavily, moving her flowing eyes to the ceiling as if she was asking for some deity to give her the strength to walk away from him.

"And I am for you... but soon you're going to hate me."

Her words shocked him and he wanted to say that that could never happen but instead Kunsel closed the distance between them and just like earlier he wrapped the female Turk in his arms, letting something other than words do the talking for once.

"Kunsel no!... I'm only going to hurt you... I'm only... going"

Cissnei gave into his embrace and her voice cut out as her body relaxed back into his and the side of her flaming orange hair made contact with his cheek as they rocked gently on the spot.

"I don't care" he whispered, gently kissing her delicate velvety neck which she angled for him to get better access to as Cissnei melted into him with her eyes closed. "You can hurt me as much as you want... just as long as I get to have this time with you then I'm ok with that."

Cissnei turned around in his hold and their eyes locked into one another making them both exhale as that perfect and greatly missed connection between them was re-made. It was like two chain-smokers finally getting their fix after days of going without, bringing them relief and allowing them each to function again properly. The feelings they harboured for each other had grown enough now that it was no longer about want and desire, they had become a physical necessity to one another and now the female Turk could see that, clear as day. Cissnei looked up at him and closed what little space they had left between them, deciding to finally stop running.

"Ok" was the only word she had time to whisper before Cissnei placed her mouth against Kunsel's without any sign of hesitation, letting the small frame of her body fall and surrender against his.

Tucking one arm around her slim waist Kunsel pressed Cissnei's hips and torso closer to his as they exchanged the pent-up passion and affection they had for each other through the increasing rhythm of their lips. The pleasurable contact lasted longer this time than any they had previously shared and getting so entranced Kunsel didn't even notice it when they crossed the threshold of the door into Cissnei's room and she pushed it closed behind them with a foot.

When he did notice Kunsel tried to restrain himself, to hold back and keep the intimacy light so Cissnei did not seize up and panic. But this time it was her driving the intensity and a part of her must have noticed his cautionate wariness .

"Touch me" she breathed, momentarily taking her lips away from his to look him in the eyes.

He obliged and allowed the arm that wasn't around her torso to trace up the side of her leg, over the curve of her hip and into the back of her shirt making them both shiver simultaneously. They continued making out and Cissnei pulled him down onto herself, laying on the bed and welcoming him to open her shirt, getting completely lost in a lust to share herself with him. Pushing open the buttons, her flawless skin tone and delicately outlined six-pack drove him mad and it was the first place he needed to run his mouth.

She breathed heavily which turned into a deep back-of-the-throat groan when he explored what was exposed of her moderate bust above the dark navy bra she wore. Everything was perfect as he returned to her lips, refusing to miss an inch of her along the journey while her hand in his hair strained the strands by clenching them lightly. The other hand ran up the front of his body as if to verify that the physique her eyes nearly exploded at in Condor was in fact real.

Brushing a hand of his own across the sexiest set of abs he had ever seen on a women, Kunsel's touch glided across the bare skin and onto the front of her trousers as his natural male instinct took over. Cissnei took in a small but noticeable intake of breath and allowed the sensitive contact to continue for a time until both her hands grabbed his. The SOLDIER instantly tried to pull his hand away when he realized he had reached the woman's limit but she held tight, not permitting his hand to leave.

"No, I like this, this is perfect... I just don't know if I'm ready for more" she told him, half blushing, half smiling beneath him, her hair fanning out gorgeously across the bed.

Kunsel nodded and if as a man he was supposed to disappointed at this point then he wasn't a man because she was right, this was perfect and this meant more to him than sex because he knew just how difficult a step this had been for her.

"I'm sorry, I know you shouldn't tease a guy like..."

Kunsel broke her apology off with another kiss.

"Shhh, remember Rekka, never say sorry. You're right, this is perfect just like this"

He rolled off of her and held an arm out to open up an inviting slot beside him. Taking her shirt that was half hanging over her arms completely off, Cissnei took the spot with the first true smile he had seen on her face in a while.

They continued kissing and caressing while dressing down to a more comfortable amount of clothing, which wasn't very much, as they settled in beneath the covers with each other for the night. He would be lying if he said being bare skin to bare skin with a gorgeous woman in nothing but her bra and knickers wasn't difficult and tempting. Yet strangely at the same time it felt so easy and natural and Kunsel could feel it in her body that she felt the same. Cissnei sighed, resting her head against his bare chest and tracing her fingers along the groves of his abdomen, an area she had seemed to grow as much a fascination for as his eyes.

They stayed like that for a timeless period of bliss, every second the bitter-sweet connection between them becoming stronger and stronger until the thought of it breaking again was too harrowing to even think about. A thought he knew she was now having as her gentle tracing stopped and she entwined herself closer to him beginning to quake.

"I think I'm in love with you Kunsel" she mumbled shakily as the side of her face remained pressed tight against his body.

"I know I am with you."

Her body tensed and although Kunsel couldn't see her face he could tell her heart was shattering all over again in her reply.

"I want to go to the golden saucer with you, just like we talked about. I want to at least have that memory with you before… before I…"

"Before you have to leave" Kunsel finished, wrapping his hold around her tighter and feeling his heart pinch with the truth he had known since the moment she came out of that cellar.

Her fingers dug into him like his comment was a physical blow to her and although Cissnei never replied, he felt her wet hot tears fall against his skin.


	33. Turks and SOLDIERs

**Chapter 33 Part 1- Turks and SOLDIERs  
**

Zack sat on the end of the hotel bed with his head between his hands, a position he had been motionless in for hours. A warm breeze rolled in from the open window, brushing against his bare skin while his clothes sat on the floor at his feet in a pile mixed with Aerith's. He couldn't sleep, even though he had every reason to feel at peace, with a soft bed, a comfortable room, the soothing roll of the ocean and an irresistibly luscious woman sprawled out asleep behind him who he had just made love to a few hours ago. Yet no peace could be found as he was plagued with the knowledge of what still dwelled in the cellar of this hotel and the decision he would have to make.

The ex-SOLDIER knew what he wanted to do, what most of his companions who's opinions he greatly respected wanted to do. But he also knew what his soul mate behind him wanted to do and that was what was making this hardest of all. Zack turned to Aerith and focused on her attractive calming features, her slow and steady breathing, the long chestnut curls flowing down her naked back blowing softly in the wind. He reached out a hand and ran it lightly across the one dainty smooth leg she had hanging out from the covers and took a deep breath. He couldn't just sit here anymore.

Zack stood up and started to get dressed in the room he knew would be pitch black for the flower girl, only knowing because it wasn't pitch black for him, nothing was ever pitch black to a SOLDIER. It was one of the many reasons why most SOLDIER's didn't sleep for days after they first got their enhancements, but you eventually got used to it. Zack rubbed his aching eyes, he had got accustomed to mako vision a long time ago, so long in fact he had practically forgotten what true darkness looked like. That was until Jenova had shown it to him again in that nightmarish place between reality's and now seeing it again was messing with his ability to block out the constant light.

Getting fully dressed and throwing on his boots as slowly as he could, Zack despaired when there was only one item left to put on and it made him shudder as he turned to see both his mythril saber and the buster sword propped close to the bed only a few feet away from Aerith. Looking at her and the weapons at the same time, the stark contrast of seeing two items created to bring about death lying next to a person who so dearly cherished life brought a lump to his throat.

Joylessly he walked over and knelt down to pick up the mythril saber, kissing Aerith faintly on the forehead and sliding the fringe back from her face with a hand that was beginning to shake.

"Forgive me baby" he whispered, dropping his head lightly against the side of her arm as his voice cracked.

Telling himself to keep it together Zack shook his head and made a break for the door, unable to stand one more minute in this hellish limbo he was in. He left the room and glided quietly through the corridors and down the flights of stairs that lead to that dreaded ground level, trying not to think or feel about anything the entire way.

Stepping into the dark secluded room at the back of the premises, he walked up to the heavy metal door and stood facing directly in front of it, keeping his eyes fixed on the cellar entrance as he heard Red move out from the shadows in the corner of the room.

"How long have you been standing guard now?" Zack called out, breaking the silence.

"Six or seven hours" Red replied quietly, stalking around behind Zack who could feel the predators gaze on him.

"That's too long, I'm sorry I should have set a..."

"Forget about it" Red insisted in an expressionless voice, more intent on trying to analyze Zack and what he was going to do.

Zack turned his head slightly to one side and nodded his thanks, though he still never looked directly at the intelligent sentinel.

"I've got it from here" Zack called blankly, the tension of the situation hanging heavy in the air.

Red stood there for a moment but eventually he bowed his head and turned away silently, only pausing briefly when he reached the exiting doorway to speak.

"Zack... don't let this moment change you. Sometimes you make the right decision... and sometimes you make the decision right... either way..."

"... it's better than making no decision at all" Zack finished quietly under his breath.

Red gave another tip of his head and then left, leaving Zack to battle with his own conscience alone.

Why was this so hard? It was Hojo of all people, the monster who had committed more evil than could be put into words, the one who had robbed him of four years of his life and tortured countless of innocent souls like Red. He was the sadistic animal that had branded his girlfriend for life and was responsible for the death and fall of his two dearest friends.

No, Hojo did not get to live.

Zack drew his sword and unbolted the door, forgetting the melodramatics this time as he marched into the cellar and down the concrete steps. He wasn't here to scare Hojo like before and the look of terror in the waking man's face told Zack that the scientist knew the same.

"… w-w-w-wait!... please! I-I-I know more! I know more!... WE CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF ARRAN…"

Zack grabbed an oil covered rag hanging nearby and gagged the pathetically begging wretch before he could say another word. Executing an unarmed man in a chair was going to be hard enough without the professor pleading for his life the entire time. Zack stepped back and lifted the edge of his blade to Hojo's neck, yelling at himself to get it over with quickly but that last thought held him back from cutting the man's throat.

He was executing an unarmed man tied to a chair.

Zack had killed men before, many men in fact, but it had always been out of necessity as they were trying to kill him and had every fair chance to do so. It had been him or them. Kill or be killed. Choice was never an option. This on the other hand was making a calculated decision to end a person's life out of revenge and it made all the difference. Despite what Red had said, this would change him as a person.

His head and heart tore themselves in opposite directions and just when he thought he couldn't go through with it, Zack thought again of all the atrocities the creature in front of him had committed and would likely commit in the future and he just knew he couldn't let Hojo go. The sword he held out at arm's length shook in the air as a war raged inside of him and Zack grit his bared teeth so hard they could break, his face straining with desperation to force his hand to end Hojo's life. Gripping the hilt of the sword as tight as possible, every muscle in his body was flared up painfully and beads of sweat started to pour down his face as the voices of his friends fueled the indecision inside his head.

_You let tha' fucker go an' he gone hurt somebody else, 'ow you gone feel then ey?_

_Killing him... just makes it seem like we're sinking to Shinra's level_

_Grandfather once told me that friends may come and go, but enemies pile up. Can we truly afford to let him live?_

Zack rasped the side of his head in torment.

_We said we would keep fighting... to atone for our sins... will killing him help us to do that? All I know is I don't want to see anyone else get hurt again because of our mistakes._

_We can't! We just can't! Please Zack! I don't want that to become who we are! If we stop fighting for what we believe is right and start killing for it, how will we be any different to Sephiroth or Genesis?_

_I've killed far better for far less_

Zack moved his sword away to strike and Hojo began thrashing and screaming muffled cries of panic.

_You've known me long enough to know what I would do Zack_

_How will we be any different to Sephiroth or Genesis?_

_If it had been me he stuck in some cage for years, I'd of topped that old creep the second I saw him_

_Please Zack! I don't want that to become who we are!_

_To atone for our sins_

_We can't! We just can't!_

The sword cut through the air and with a cry of rage, hatred and pain he sliced through the bonds tieing Hojo's hands and threw the weapon violently across the room with an uncontrollable amount of anger. Dropping to his knees Zack started smashing his fists into the concrete floor again and again as the pent-up darkness escaped through his lungs in broken roars of anguish.

Hojo fell off the chair and scuffled away in terror on his backside until his back came up against the wall with a thud making Zack's head snap up instantly, locking his eyes onto the professor in pure hatred. The gagged scientist muffled in fright and the ex-SOLDIER charged over to pluck the man off the floor and drag him by the collar of his lab coat up the stairs, across the outside room and over to the back entrance of the hotel. Kicking the door open he threw the scientist roughly out into the rear alleyway and strode out after him, grabbing him again by the front of his coat as he attempted to scuttle away. Zack pinned Hojo to the wall and forced his tormentor to face him in the eye, ripping the cloth gag from his mouth.

"YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!?" Zack screamed in the man's face and grabbed him by the throat, cutting off Hojo's voice box when he tried to spew his poison, "You listen and you listen good you son of bitch! You're alive because of one thing and one thing only. That girl you tormented. the one you branded specimen fourteen, the one who's life you tried to destroy, remember her? She pleaded for your life, showed you mercy even though she had every reason not to"

Zack let go of the foul greasy haired maniac with a shove and towered over him as he slumped down the wall.

"You dissapear tonight fifteen, fade away from existence to never be seen again. If you don't, if I ever see you again or find out you have so much as dissected a frog in one of your twisted little experiments, it doesn't matter how much Aerith asks me not to kill you, I will get you and NOTHING will stop me next time"

Hojo glared at him from behind his round cracked spectacles, his beady black eyes squinting hatefully but nevertheless understanding every word Zack was saying.

"Just so I know you realize how serious I am, we're going to play a game. You have thirty seconds to make it out of this town before I break your neck with my bare hands. Starting now"

Zack began counting down from thirty and Hojo made off down the dark alleyway, starting at a unstable rickety walk and getting faster with each digit Zack counted until he was clambering away at a sprint.

Zack stared off after the scientist as he dissapeared from sight, standing in the middle of the lonely black alleyway, his cut up hands dripping with blood and panting heavily. He had really done it, he had let Hojo go. A few minutes passed by as he let that sink in and although a part of him still wanted to undo his decision and hunt the man down again, Zack came to terms with his decision and walked back into the hotel.

As he stepped in and closed the door behind him he paused in surprise to see Aerith, fully dressed and gazing at him with a an emotional look of relief, knowing what he had done. Her expression slowly uplifted into a proud watery smile and Aerith walked into his space to wrap her arms around his shoulders and guide his head into the crook of her neck comfortingly.

"I love you Zack. I love you so much"

* * *

**Chapter 33 Part 2- Turks and SOLDIERs  
**

Above the dark moss covered mountains a Shinra helicopter coasted through the sparsely clouded night sky, running low on fuel after its long journey across the ocean. It had set off from Junon early that morning and its passenger was growing restless and impatient though no one would ever know it.

"We'll be landing in five sir" the pilot announced, flicking on the choppers side lights to brightly illuminate the customized Shinra logo on the side of the craft. A necessary action under the current political situation.

Ever since the Midgar/Junon divide and ever since SOLDIER were severed in a power struggle between the executives and the president, not even a Shinra helicopter could simply fly over its own airspace anymore. The two distinct factions of Shinra were now identified separately with two alterations of the same iconic symbol, a boldy printed 'R' for those loyal to Rufus and the white border was changed to gold to distinguish those under the control of Heidegger and Scarlet. This particular helicopter bore the 'R' alteration and they needed that to be clear lest they risk being shot down over Rufus Shinra controlled territory.

The conflict was becoming tiresome and while most of it had largely been a war of rhetoric up until now, there had been a scattering of fights and skirmishes breaking out across Gaia as both sides focused on snatching up resources, securing territories and spying for intel. Precisely the kind of war that made life tedious and difficult for the leader of the Turks.

Tseng gazed with solemn disinterest out of the window as amidst the rocky peaks passing them below, an array of bright skylights appeared like lasers on the horizon, lighting up the black expanse. They were arriving now and before long their helicopter was placed under a blinding spotlight to identify the allegiance of their logo, making Tseng squint and shield his eyes in annoyance as the light burst in through the window.

They were pulling into Mt. Corel, or more precisely the reactor at Mt. Corel that had been secured under Rufus Shinra's control. As it now stood, the most valuable of all resources that both sides were looking to get their hands on was huge materia and that meant mako reactors were number one priority. These places had become like fortresses now and Tseng groaned, brushing a hand across his tired face when they were made to hover in midair while security forces ran their various checks. All the while more anti-aircraft guns than you could shake a stick at were pointed in their direction.

Eventually they were given permission to land, not that it made much difference, there was still a squad of armed SOLDIER waiting to greet him when he disembarked. Placing one highly polished sleek black shoe from the helicopter, Tseng stepped out into the cool mountainous temperature at night, the gust of wind from the chopper blades blowing out his just past shoulder length jet-black hair.

Tseng eyed the entire place with his usual aloof and distant demeanour, the place was a thriving industrial and military metropolis, alive with the activity of hundreds, if not thousands of engineers, constructions workers and Shinra armed forces running around busily.

"Sir! may I see your identification please"

Tseng's feet had barely hit concrete and he looked up from fixing his suit to eye the inspection officer with an unimpressed stare. Before the officer could ask to see his papers again, a familiar, casual sounding voice called over to Tseng who turned his attention away from the officer and towards the two men approaching.

"Ahh at last! our cheerful overlord arrives! an' there you were sayin' he wouldn't turn up"

"You were the one..."

"Well boss, welcome to tha' centre of the mechanical revolution! Tha' sphincter of the industrial asshole! Amongst such wonders you would assume a man could get himself a simple drink round 'ere would you not? Well I would kindly like to inform you that you would be dead fuckin' wrong"

Tseng nodded a brief greeting to the sloppily presented red-headed Turk and another to the immaculately dressed professional, "Reno. Rude"

"Sir! I need to see your identification before you are permitted to..."

"Take a god damn break will ya'! you know exactly who he is" Reno scowled shoving the inspection officer away roughly as Tseng made his way from the landing pad. "Jeez I'm tellin' ya', a person can't wipe their own ass around here without gettin' ID'd for it first"

They begun descending the long stretch of cast iron steps with Rude at the head, leading Tseng back to wherever it was amidst this jungle of machinery that the base of operations he had provisioned for them was located.

"So how's the war goin' yo? Not that I particularly give a shit, but I s'pose if I had to chose between daddy issues payin' me bills or that fat fuck and his horse laugh, yeah I'd stick with Rufus"

"Don't forget Scarlet"

"Oh boy! Do not get me started on that haggered old slapper! Ya know she practically tried to rape me once? followed me inta the shower and put her hand on my co.."

"Yes thankyou Reno, we all know Scarlet's reputation", _And yours for that matter_ Tseng thought but kept to himself.

"All I'm sayin' is if she wins this thing and becomes like president or whatever, I want it to go on record that I could'a tapped that but I turned it down"

"Something you seem to be doing a lot lately"

Both Tseng and Reno stared at the back of Rude's head in surprise to hear such a glib comment from the man, though of course Reno had to be more exuberant in displaying his reaction.

"What in the fuck is that s'posed to mean!?" Reno blurted out in offense, pushing passed Tseng on the stairwell to flap wildly around the tall dark Turk.

Rude paused to look down at Reno as he pushed the sunglasses he even wore at night up the bridge of his nose.

"Simple observation. Since we got here you have approached precisely zero woman and have even turned them down on thirteen different accounts"

Reno's face dropped open in what Tseng would analyse as a horrified mix of shock and embarrassment which quickly turned to anger.

"Holy Chocobo piss man! You keepin' fuckin' count!? Tha's jus' creepy yo!"

While Tseng usually blanked out these kind of trivial conversations, to hear that Reno hadn't put it about in over a week had even him intrigued.

"So what's the problem Reno?"

The Turk looked to Tseng in disbelief.

"You got to be shittin' me... this is the topic you finally decide to chip in on!?"

"Well I need to know that all my operatives are fully functional"

"Hey! My shit is completely functional!" Reno barked in outrage, pushing back passed Rude on the stairwell that was taking an age to descend and holding himself inappropriately.

"I didn't mean it like that" Tseng replied curtly, thankful when they reached the bottom and began making their way through the busy throng of Shinra employee's.

"Yeah, well, so what!?" Reno spat, pushing the goggles on his forehead further up into his fringe with as much dignity as he could, "I got this thing going with this smokin' hot red-head who's crazy 'bout me, why would I waste my juice on the tramps 'round here when I got that waiting for me?"

Neither him nor Rude replied to that and fortunately Reno settled into grumbling angrily under his breath, looking like his hard earned ego had taken a nose dive off a cliff. The three vastly contrasting assassins rolled through the camp and as always the people crossing their paths hurried along to move out the way of the well renowned fraternity members.

Finally they arrived at their temporary base of operations and Rude swiped his ID at a control panel on a small metal container like building. Tseng walked in and the white mako fuelled lights snapped on automatically as the Turk leader observed the room. The equipment was all state of the art but then he already knew that as he had signed off the budget report on it. Yes, even the leader of the most deadly agency in black ops, reconnaissance and subterfuge had to undertake duties as monotonous as filing budget reports.

"I trust you have found the facilities adequate?" Tseng vocalized blandly, striding across the room to the main computer system with Rude who grunted his confirmation. Reno on the other hand, of course had something more to say about it.

"Look yo, I ain't gonna harp on 'bout the drinkin' again, but would it really have been so much effort to get a mini-bar in here?... Oh and the beds! the beds! what's up with that!?"

"What is wrong with them?" Tseng was obliged to ask, not really listening as Rude sat down and started pulling up information on screen.

"They're singles! singles boss! SINGLES!" Reno gradually shouted louder to get Tseng's full attention.

"You've slept in worse", the leader dismissed.

"Yeah don't remind me, a week in a tree outside bone village to be exact. But shit! I ain't slept in a single since I was twelve! I swear to Minvera if those Shinra rejects have messed with my apartment in Midgar I'm gonna..."

"They have" Tseng interjected making Reno groan loudly in despair and slump messily into a nearby chair.

Turning his attention back to the monitor Tseng got down to business, "So what have you got?"

Rude was the first to speak, pulling up an image of a large, muscular, often shirtless man with a long thin moustache who everyone knew was Dio, the filthy rich tycoon and owner of the golden saucer.

"We gained some intel from him that a young boy in a black cape and hood has been seen wondering around the golden saucer. Dio said he had a tattoo of the number one on his hand and was acting... strange"

Tseng frowned, not making any kind of connection to Sephiroth yet, as was the goal of their mission.

"Sephiroth and the gold saucer... can't say I'm seeing it myself. Plus I would hardly call twenty-seven young"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're not saying the kids Sephiroth" Reno piped up, reclining dangerously far in his chair and putting his unkempt shoes, that made Tseng internally cringe, up onto the other side of the desk. "But we checked the kid out an' we over heard him mumbling a whole bunch'a stuff about Sephiroth and reunions over and over and over"

"Sephiroth has always had his share of hardcore fanatics"

"Not like this boss, I'm tellin' ya this was sumin' different" Reno sat up looking serious and when Tseng looked to Rude also, the man nodded in confirmation that this was more than just some crazed fanatic.

"Ok. So what else was this 'boy' doing?"

"Not much besides twitching like some jacked up crack-head all the time and staring at this object that Dio had in his museum collection. He just watched this thing, like stared it for hours every day... as if he was guarding it or sumin'"

Before he had to ask what the object was, Rude pulled up a descriptionless image of a grey orb that looked like materia and Tseng moved closer to observe it intently.

"It's called a keystone" Rude clarified.

"Am I supposed to know what that is?" Tseng looked between the two Turks.

"No, but this is where it gets good" Reno smirked, standing up and pacing the room. "So we go lookin' to find what this 'keystone' thing is and find it's connected to this stuff called black materia, but we don't exactly know what any of it is because someone wiped every trace of info on it from the database"

Reno stopped pacing and two pairs of eyes looked to Tseng expectantly.

"I still can't see any solid connection that this is what Sephiroth is after"

Reno sighed.

"Well remember we tried tracking down the prints on that note that got pinned to that dead SOLDIER hanging over Shinra's door? The one that tipped off AVALANCHES location?"

Tseng nodded, "it was Sephiroth, he wiped himself from the SOLDIER records"

"That's just it! He also deleted the keystone and black materia files at the same time!" Reno finished victoriously.

Tseng paused and looked at the grey orb floating on the monitor, the connection finally being made.

"So this is what Sephiroth wants" Tseng confirmed under his breath, nodding his approval at their good work. "We need to find out what this black materia is and get our hands on that keystone. Get yourselves back over to the golden saucer and get that orb, consider that your next mission"

"Golden Saucer! you ain't hearin' me complaining" Reno punched the air, "though how are we supposed to find out what this black materia stuff is yo?"

It was already the thought currently on Tseng's mind and he turned back to Rude at the computer.

"Check who else might have seen those records before they were deleted"

Rude tapped away to access the history logs on the files and when a result other than the deleter appeared, everyone focused closer in interest.

"Accessed nearly a year ago. Department, SOLDIER" Rude read aloud as he brought up the persons profile.

"Well I'll be" Reno mumbled over Rude's shoulder, "can't say I'm surprised it's him though, this guy's been showing up all over the place. Seems like he read's everything, even the pointless shit"

Tseng gazed at the face on the screen, a face he had been meaning to check out for quite some time now and he began reading snippets from the man's profile.

"Kunsel Haringer. Second class SOLDIER. Declined promotion to first. Extremely intelligent and resourceful. Local hero from the Kalm fire-bombings. Reserved in nature but well trained and dangerous"

Before Tseng could continue the phone started ringing making all three Turks glance at each other in bewilderment, that phone was only used for long distance outbound calls. Mostly to Elena in Midgar on her mission to off either Heidegger or Scarlet.

"Can't be" Reno muttered.

Tseng picked it up without delay and put his ear slowly to the receiver.

_You know if you wanted to be friends you only had to ask_

Tseng shot his two Turks a look that told them it was Harringer on the line and Reno nearly collapsed on the spot.

"How could he possibly...!?"

Tseng put his finger to his lips and focused on the voice on the other side.

_So what are you looking for Tseng?_

"You have some information we need"

_Go on_

Tseng chuckled lightly, "You know that's not how this works. In person"

_Well I'm a bit busy right now but I'm sure our paths will cross soon_

"They cross now. Where are you? Where is AVALANCHE?", _and is Aerith safe?_ he couldn't resist thinking.

_Goodbye. Oh and Tseng, stop looking at my profile, my hair was messy that day_

The picture and character report on screen snapped shut making the Turks including Tseng recoil in astonishment as the SOLDIER hung up on him. A silence fell over them as they stood and stared at the blank monitor, everyone wondering the true extent to the capabilities of the man they were dealing with here.

"How does he do that!?" Reno demanded loudly, shoving Rude aside to bang on the keyboard multiple times like it would give him the answer.

Tseng pulled out his PHS to make a number of important calls, turning back once before he stepped outside.

"I don't know, but we need to find out what was in those reports. Track down Kunsel Haringer, he is your new target"

* * *

**Chapter 33 Part 3- Turks and SOLDIERs  
**

Cissnei woke up, this time expecting to find Kunsel at her side and was surprised when she found an empty but recently laid in space next to her. She sat up slowly and brushed her sleepy eyes, noticing it was still dark outside but that morning wasn't far off. Waking up a little further Cissnei heard Kunsel's voice for a brief moment in the bathroom, though she couldn't make out what he was saying and a few seconds later the door opened and he walked back into the room closing his PHS.

"Anyone interesting?" she yawned, her voice catching briefly when Kunsel walked back over to the bed, giving her a close up view of his pysique and reminding Cissnei of her own semi-naked attire.

"I'll tell you later, you're gonna wanna hear this" he smiled, standing over her affectionately.

"Ok" she smiled back, angling her face up to him as they kissed.

Kunsel climbed back in beside her and she linked herself onto his side, loving the sensation of her bare legs over his and his arm around her back making his fingers touch lightly at the waist of her knickers. Though she had broken off going all the way earlier and knew she wasn't ready to take that step quite yet, Cissnei still couldn't deny that she was aroused and physically attracted to him. Then again with those eyes and that body it was difficult to imagine anyone who wouldn't be.

Beneath the covers she felt the SOLDIER's hand move to take hers and Cissnei's insides warmed as he lifted her hand out from the covers by the fingers to kiss at them lightly. With each kiss and every hour she spent at his side like this she could feel herself becoming fonder and more deeply infatuated with him and although she knew it was only going to break her heart even harder later on when she had to leave, Cissnei let her emotions for him take over.

"Kunsel..." she began, feeling her heartbeat rapidly quicken as the thought of what she wanted to do solidified in her mind. "How much do you know about my past?"

He didn't answer straight away and shifted onto his side so they were laying face to face, a closeness that would once have had her running scared but now gave her the confidence to carry on and share what she had told no other living soul.

"I know you were born as Rekka Valentine, became an orphan when you were just six years old after your mother, father and brother were... are you sure you're ready to talk about this this?"

Though she could already feel her eyes tearing up, Cissnei knew she was ready and nodded against the pillow, clinging onto his wondrous blue and golden eyes with hers.

"I'm sure. I don't want to keep hiding anymore, especially from you. First of all... I just want you to know..."

_BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!_

The female Turk nearly leaped from her skin as a string of loud knocking on the front door interrupted them and the pair looked at one another with a shared puzzled frown at who could be knocking this early in the morning.

"We'd better answer that, it could be urgent" Kunsel pointed out regretfully, getting to his feet and crossing the room in nothing but that delicious pair of undershorts.

It was as he got halfway across the bedroom that she stopped lusting at his backside and remembered that this was her room he was about to answer the door for. Cissnei jumped out after him, forgetting about her own attire to quickly grab Kunsel around the waste and stop him.

_BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"I'd better get that or people might get the wrong idea... not that I would mind anyone knowing you're here!" she swiftly added when she though he might take offense to that. "It's just people might think that we had... well... that we had... not that I would mind that either!"

Cissnei couldn't remember being anymore flustered or flushed than right now and thankfully Kunsel put her out of her misery.

"Your cute when you stammer" he chuckled, pecking a kiss gently on the end of her nose and returning to bed.

Cissnei fanned her face briefly as she went over and opened the door.

_BANG! BANG! BA...!_

Pulling the handle down, Cissnei had barely opened the door an inch before it burst open and a Cetra flower girl came charging in looking rather frantic.

"Aerith!? What are you...!?"

"Zack let Hojo go and he's worried he might try something or get SOLDIER so we need to go! Quick I'll help you pack!"

Aerith continued to rush in without invite before Cissnei could even think or react and the girl flicked on the room lights, illuminating the entire bedroom.

"He let Hojo go?! Couldn't he have waited until morning!?" Cissnei blurted out in her disorientated state as Aerith started stuffing some of Cissnei's belongings into her traveling pack, entirely failing to notice Kunsel laid smirking in her bed.

"It was kind of a difficult in the moment situaAHHHH!" Aerith shrieked, making Cissnei wince as the SOLDIER was finally spotted.

"Hey" Kunsel held up a hand, looking thoroughly amused and carefree.

"Kunsel! you scared me! what are you...?"

Aerith fell silent as she saw Kunsel laying there with only his naked top half on show and then she turned to Cissnei who only now remembered that she was in nothing but her bra and knickers. The Turks eyes widened as she looked up from her own body to Aerith, realizing how this must all look.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry! You guys were about to..."

"NO! NO! no we wasn't" Cissnei squawked, grabbing the flowers girls arm to whisk her away out the door but before she could a familiar voice at the door now had the Turk shrieking in alarm.

"I can't find any of the..."

Zack stepped in and Cissnei yanked Aerith in front of her to shield her half naked body but she wasn't quick enough and the AVALANCHE leader froze at the door like a house robber who just had the spotlight put on him.

"..others... you left the door open" Zack mumbled awkwardly, pointing at the door handle with a flush of his own beginning to form while Kunsel roared with laughter and Aerith giggled hysterically. "What's going on?"

"NOTHING!... nothing is going on! can everyone just turn around and forget this ever happened!

Zack spun around so quickly that Cissnei was sure the ex-SOLDIER had given himself a minor case of whip-lash making the other two laugh even louder. Once she was sure backs were turned, Cissnei dashed for her clothes over by the bed, stopping only briefly to place her hands on her hips in front of Kunsel who continued laughing and launched his trousers into his face.

"Get dressed you nudist"

The SOLDIER got up with a seductive wink and Cissnei grabbed her own trousers, only getting one leg in before a set of paws came bounding down the hall and into the room.

"You have to be kidding me! can someone close that bloody door!" Cissnei screeched as now it was Kunsel's turn to act as a shield to protect her shattered modesty, though she realized pulling a half naked man in front of her didn't really help matters.

"Oh! Ah! Should I come back some other time?" Red froze, out of breath from running and staring nonplussed around at the four humans, probably wondering what kind of night-time ritual this was.

"YES! YES PLEASE!" Cissnei cried, wondering when Barret or even worse Cid was going to show up.

"Ok, but I think you should be quick, it is rather urgent"

"Why? What's the matter?" Zack asked in concern just as Red was about to leave and while no one was looking Cissnei took her opportunity to lunge for the bed covers and wrap them around herself.

"It's the others, they've got themselves arrested"


	34. Light touches

Chapter 34 Part 1- Light touches

"A barfight. I don't even have words for that right now"

Zack stood looking disappointed at the five disheveled, bruised and tired looking fighters stood out in the sunny morning fields two or so miles from Costa Del Sol. They had met here as Zack's face was too well known to retrieve them from lockup himself and so Cissnei had gone instead.

"We're supposed to be saving the world here, not starting drunken fights in bars" Zack urged shaking his head, a movement that he was glad Kunsel beside him was mimicking.

"But we didn't start it!" Yuffie started loudly, dropping her head when both SOLDIER's glared in her direction.

"Yea but we sure as hell finished it" Barrett snickered quietly through his hangover making a ripple of grins and chuckles spread amongst the others except Tifa who was the only one to at least look ashamed.

"Come on guys this isn't funny" Tifa stepped forward towards Zack, big brown eyes on his, fidgeting with her new grand combat gloves, "I'm really sorry Zack, things just got out of hand"

He nodded to the apologetic martial artist though he couldn't be too mad, one because it wasn't in his nature and two because if someone as sensible as Tifa had been a part of the fighting then it was probably justified.

"So what happened?"

"Some guy shoved Jess" Tifa lamely responded, forcing an embarrassed half-smile and tucking a strand of very dark chocolate hair behind her ear.

That was no surprise, Zack could have guessed that it would have been in defending one of the two teenage girls that she got involved in a brawl.

"And why did he do that?" Zack pressed, turning to the red-head teenager.

"Well..." Jessie began, "it started when some guy got angry because he lost a load of money when Barrett beat Cid in a drinking game.."

"I didn't fuckin' lose, like I already told ya'll, tha' darn chair slipped from under me!"

Zack stared at the gruff smoking blonde man who he hadn't met yet but Cissnei and Aerith had filled him in on who Cid was and how he had helped rescue the latter. When he found out the man was the captain of an airship, Zack had eagerly agreed to get him out of jail also and was now trying to read into exactly what it would take to acquire his services. However before he could strike up the conversation the captain started walking off.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Get me a bite ta' eat"

Cid continued striding off across the field and Zack jogged after him, away from the rest of the group.

"Hey, hey, hey... hold up, we just spent a thousand gil bailing you out of jail"

"Good fer you, di'nt ask ya' to" Cid dismissed, not stopping.

"Regardless we still did, I think that means you owe us at least one more ride"

"No can do skipper, the main fuselage is torn to shit, eight'a ten compressor pistons are as bent as 'alf the fella's back in that town and the fuel liner 'as more 'oles in it then me long departed granny's house slippers"

Cid turned and Zack blinked multiple times.

"... means she ain't flying anytime soon"

Cid threw his finished cigarette to the floor and stomped it under his boot then started walking off again. Zack's head worked quickly, he needed that ship to get to wherever the temple was to stop Sephiroth and to find out what lurked in that crater on the northern continent.

"Twenty-thousand gil" Zack called, grabbing a heavy bag of coins from his pack and tossing it to the captain who caught it mid-air. "That should help you get the airship up and running quicker, all I ask in return is you get us where we need to go"

It was a third of the money the group had acrewed during the numerous fights and battles along their journey together so far. While he probably should have consulted the others first, It might take quite a bit of time to explain that he was paying so they could fly to a place that an evil alien parasite had shown him in an alternate reality. Cid eyed the bag, jingled it a couple of times then fixed his stare back on Zack with a dubious look.

"This don't mean ya' owning any of tha' Highwind"

"Not a single bit of it"

"And I'm still tha' captain 'round ere, don't be thinkin' ya' can tell me what to do or think I'll be callin' you boss"

"No one does anyway"

Cid continued to think about it for a bit and then reached into his dark navy jacket pocket and pulled out a nearly empty pack of cigarettes. Tipping the last three out he pocketed two and threw the other into his mouth, then pulling out a very short pencil he scribbled a number down on the back of the pack.

"Now I wouldn't normally do this, but tha' fact you and ya' li'l friends over there are tryin' ta' shit on Shinra…"

"And save the world" Zack added.

"Yeah tha' too I guess… it sits pretty well with me so I'll help ya' out. Hook me up on this in a couple'a days, the old girl should be up an' runnin' by then"

Cid held out the cigarette packet and Zack took it with a nod, letting the captain take his leave this time.

"WAIT!"

Both men looked to see Jessie as she came running across the field from the rest of the group, pushing her tech goggles up from her eyes and into her fringe as she pulled up next to Zack.

"Cya 'round li'l tech-whizz"

"You're not just leaving are you!?" Jessie cried breathlessly.

"Highwind's busted up sweetheart, you take care ya'self"

"But you can help us! You can fight to! With that spear thingy! I've seen him use it against monsters, he's really good Zack!"

"I's called a lance an' I ain't goin' no where 'till me ships fixed"

"But!…" Jessie sighed and gave up sullenly, "ok bye".

Zack was surprised to see how disheartened the young engineer seemed about Cid leaving and even the captain himself sounded like he had grown a fondness for the red-head. Then it occurred to him that a giant mechanical airship was probably heaven to a person like Jessie and it wasn't hard to guess how she had earned the title of 'tech-whizz' from the man. Though Zack loved having Jessie around he also didn't want her to feel obliged in traveling with them and stop her from pursuing her own goals. Goals that he still remembered from their time in Hojo's prison cell together, were shattered the day that Biggs and Wedge died.

"Jess, you can go with Cid if you want to"

She looked up at him in surprise and Zack smiled in return, reassuring her that he meant it.

"To right ya' can, could sure do with a pair'a hands like yours on board" Cid confirmed.

Jessie's eyes lit up at the invitation and for a moment Zack thought that she was going to accept it but her joyful reaction soon faded.

"I… can't, I started this with my friends, I can't leave now"

Zack watched the girl decline the offer with admiration and if he was honest, relief. Turning his palm around he slipped his hand into Jessie's at his side and gave it a friendly squeeze.

"Alrightey then, well if ya' ever done savin' the world an' all that good stuff, there'll always be a spot in me crew for a gal like you"

"Really?… yeah I'd like that, I'd really like that" she glowed with a grateful warm smile.

"Cya'll in a few days then"

Cid tipped his head and threw a hand up to the rest of the group in the distance with a special middle finger just for Barrett, they waved and of course Barrett middle fingered back in a friendly goodbye exchange.

Zack watched the captain walking off while standing shoulder to shoulder with the young engineer who squeezed his hand lightly in return.

"That's it, that's what I'm gonna do when we're done saving the planet, I'm gonna join the Highwind crew... I think I'd be good at that. I think Biggs would want that, he'd say it was totally awesome… and Wedge... well he'd be sick, but proud of me. Yeah... that's what I'm gonna do, if I live through all this that is" Jessie half-joked through the tears for her fallen as good as brothers.

Zack flinched at the sobering thought of Jessie dying, like Yuffie she reminded him of a past him, a time when he too had dreams and ambitions, ones he would fight and die to see both girls live out. Now the only dreams and ambitions he had of his own was for survival, for his friends and their dreams and to stop the ones who would seek to destroy them. To not let the fate that Jenova had shown him become reality, to never watch Aerith's face sink below the waters surface and never let her go to the city of the ancients.

Chapter 34 Part 2- Light touches

Watching her long dark hair that travelled passed her waste swing from side to side in the opposite direction to the slight saunter of her hips had become mesmerizing over the last few hours during their long trek. Zack knew it was probably inappropriate the level to which he was analysing the woman but he couldn't help it, Tifa was firmly in his mind amidst the swirl of other confusing thoughts he was trying to arrange in his head.

Those things Jenova had shown him, were they real glimpses of the future? Things that would become if he didn't change the current path they were on? Or were they simply lies of Jenova's to trick him into joining the reunion? Nothing was clear, except for one thing and it was the reason why Tifa was so on his mind like she was, Cloud was still out there and fighting just as hard as they were. Tifa had known it ever since that kiss on top of fort Condor and he had doubted it, doubted her, doubted that Cloud was somewhere out there but he was wrong and Tifa had every right to be the first to know.

Zack watched the graceful martial artist up ahead scouting the mountains with Kunsel and Red, wondering and hesitating on how he was going to tell her once they got to the golden saucer. A worthwhile detour to take until Cid had the Highwind back up and running. They were traveling directly through the foggy cliffs of mount Corel on a slightly longer route as they had run into a few too many fights with Shinra troops on the easier path across the rail tracks. It wasn't hard to guess that the nearby mako reactor was the cause for that.

"Yo Porcupine, ya' gotta minute?"

Barret pulled up alongside him making him jump slightly and realize how deep he must have been in thought for the big man to of slipped passed his enhanced senses.

"Do you want me to leave?" Aerith asked softly from his other side, the place where his most loved companion had remained the entire time beside him.

"Nah nah, ya' alright girl" Barret replied, although slightly hesitant.

"It's ok, I needed to speak to Cissnei anyway"

"Be careful in the fog, watch your step" Zack warned, squeezing lightly at the tips of her fingers.

Aerith gave him that award winning smile and moved away in front while he and Barret slowed to a casual meander.

"So what's up?"

Barrett took his time to reply, playing about with a number of predominantly Jessie crafted gizmos on his gun arm while sorting out the words in his head.

"Look I know I ain't got no right in sayin' this, but I want us to leave the reactor at Corel alone... like I'm sayin' le's stay clear'a it"

Zack lowered his head in thought as they wondered along together, he understood the reason for the request, just not the wisdom behind it.

"There could be huge materia in there, it's what we battled at fort Condor for, to keep that kind of materia out of Shinra's hands"

"Fuck I know, it's just that whats left'a my old home, those people are tryin' to rebuild their lives man, know what I'm sayin? We go for this reactor, we might bring another fight ta' their door an' they ain't ready fer' tha'"

"I understand but we..."

"I wanna help em, help em get back on their feet, like Teef says, ta' atone for our sins an all"

"So you're leaving the group?" Zack asked, pulling to a complete stop.

"Hell naw, jus' while ya'll at tha' saucer, I'm gonna stay in town and see wha' I can do. I know it won't be much, shit I probably won't be able ta' do a god damn thing... but I can try an' then when we're done with these Sephiroth an' Genesis punks, no offense..."

"None taken"

"...as well as this Jenova spook, I can come back to Corel and finish wha' I started. Try ta' make amends"

Zack thought about it for a moment, not that there was anything really to think about, it was simply that he had never thought about the future like that. How exactly was he supposed to atone? His return to Midgar and his actions at the news network had sparked a fight that had cost the lives of thousands of innocent people including Biggs and Wedge. How was he supposed to make something like that right? There were times like now that it crossed his mind that it might have been better if he had never returned from the Midgar wastes.

"Look I ain't askin' for permission or nuthin, I'm jus' tellin' ya' how it gone be" Barret eventually spoke when he didn't respond.

"Sorry, yeah no it's great, I think it's great, do it. We'll only be at the saucer for one day"

Barret nodded and as they both arrived at an old long wooden bridge that stretched between two peaks, it signalled the end of their conversation. Most of the group were already over half way across except Tifa who was standing at the start of the bridge, doing another one of the many head counts she liked to regularly conduct or so Zack thought. Barret went on ahead first but stopped before he crossed to vocalize something that had been bugging him for a while.

"Be careful ya hear and watch ya' backs, I gotta feelin' we bein' followed" Barret scanned the horizon suspiciously in a wide arch and then continued on.

Zack agreed, he had felt another person's presence at their backs as well for quite some time since entering the Corel region. While it was disturbing he wasn't overly worried as whoever they were they were keeping their distance and he wasn't sensing S-Cells so it couldn't be Sephiroth. As for Genesis, subtlety and discretion was never really the man's style so for now he let the threat pass.

Zack followed Barret after establishing a moment of distance and stepped onto the bridge, expecting Tifa to follow shortly after but when he checked back she still hadn't moved from the spot.

"I guess you don't like rope bridges?" Zack called, half-grinning and gripping onto the rope sides, "can't say I blame you after the experiences you've had with them"

He walked back over to the woman and offered out his hand to guide her across but Tifa just stared at him.

"I'm fine, I'm not scared to cross Zack, I just... I wanna know... is everything alright between us?"

"Me and you?"

"Yeah... me and you"

He frowned at the question and walked over next to her onto solid ground with a worried look at why she would ask that, "yeah, of course it is"

"... ok, I only ask because... not that I'm saying I mind or that you can't..."

"What is it, tell me"

"I noticed you've been staring at me since we left Costa Del Sol"

Zack paused, then took a deep breath, he didn't think that Tifa had noticed and while he considered deflecting her away with a false response he decided not to insult the woman's intelligence. It seemed he had no choice but to have the conversation he had planned to have with her at the golden saucer now.

"Your right, I have been and it's because I have something I need to tell you and I don't know how to do it. In fact it's dangerous for me to even think about it let alone tell you, she could get back in"

"She? Who's she?"

"Jenova..."

He thought about the calamity too deeply and a flash of pain went through his head that usually indicated when his defence was slipping. A defence that relied on him keeping any detailed thoughts of Sephiroth or Jenova far from his mind. Zack hissed at the splintering sensation in his head and Tifa panicked.

"Stop! Here sit down!"

Tifa forced him over to a small boulder, making him sit and then crouched down onto her haunches, observing him looking uncertain and afraid.

"So those fits you used to keep having, the whole time it was Jenova's doing, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't understand it... and I didn't want to believe it. She has control over me Teef, the S-cells in me, they didn't just come from Sephiroth, they came from her to. She's been inside my head, talking to me, showing me things, trying to manipulate me into joining her"

Tifa looked at him mortified and the more he thought about what he wanted to tell her about Jenova the more his head started to ache and he pressed the palm of his hand hard against his forehead.

"Oh god Zack! This is serious!" she moved onto her knees in front of him and took each side of his face in her hands softly. "Here, slow down, take your time" Tifa brushed the backs of her fingers on one hand delicately across his forehead, a gentle comfort that surprisingly worked. "What does she show you?"

"Places, events that have happened, ones that haven't. I wasn't entirely honest with you all when I told you what happened in that room with Hojo"

Tifa nodded with no anger and more understanding then he was expecting.

"And do you want to tell me now?"

He closed his eyes, the last few doubts he had of telling her putting up one last fight before surrendering.

"Jenova, she took me to this place, this dark place where she tried to make me join her in something called the reunion, she said she sent Sephiroth to guide me to it. I was almost taken in by her, by the lies and promises she made but then Cloud came. I saw him, it was really him Teef, everything you said about Cloud was right"

Zack had no idea how Tifa was going to react or which way her emotions were going to swing, but it was a surprise to Zack when all she did was beam at the floor like she was happy and accept his words without any sign of doubt or disbelief.

"What does he look like?" she questioned the hard stone ground in front of her with so much passion and love in her voice like she dearly wanted to climb into his head and see him for herself.

"Older... taller, stronger. He can fight Teef, with more skill and speed then I've ever seen, then either Sephiroth or Genesis... and he knew how to fight Jenova, he knew every attack or trick she was going to use before she used it. It's like he's lived an entire lifetime and has seen this all before. It's crazy but it's like he's trapped in the life stream, but from the future. I can't explain it without sounding insane"

Tifa exhaled slowly beside him and he waited patiently for her to speak but she remained silent.

"What are you thinking?"

"The same thing I've been thinking for almost five years now. That I have to see him, that I have to bring him back" Tifa's hands on his face tightened ever so slightly and she leaned closer to him with a desperately pleading look on her face. "I have to see him again, I have to go to that place myself"

"It's not as simple as that, Jenova took me there. It's too dangerous..."

"Then she can take me there to" Tifa interrupted, standing up quickly, "I'll make her, I'll make her take me. I said I would find him and I had no clue where to even begin but this is it"

"No, no it's not" he replied firmly, standing up with her and placing a hand on her arm.

"YES IT IS!" Tifa snapped a lot more aggressively then he was expecting as she tugged her arm away and rapidly walked a number of steps away from him to the cliffs edge.

A silence hung between them and he was startled, he hadn't anticipated or even thought that this was the direction things could go and it scared him just how far she was willing to go to fulfill what she seemed to believe was her duty to bring Cloud back.

"Tifa please, if Cloud could choose between staying in the life stream or putting you in that kind of danger, you know what he would do"

"You said it was because of the S-cells in your body that Jenova was able to take you there right?" Tifa whispered out into the foggy mountainous abyss she stared out into like she hadn't even heard what he had just said.

"That's right, which is why you couldn't go even if you wanted to and believe me, you don't want to"

More time passed as Tifa stood motionless on the cliffs edge but from here Zack could hear the woman's beating heart growing in speed and her breathing deepen, frightening him over what was going through her mind.

"I'm gonna ask something of you Zack"

Tifa turned and walked towards him, gloveless hands outstretched towards his to take. Though the earnest tone of her voice made him feel uneasy he accepted her small and calloused hands as she stepped up close to him, her soft light skinned features and wide brown eyes looking up at him in resolute determination.

"First I want you to know that I would always follow you and fight with you, and with what I'm about to say... I don't want you to think that I don't trust or respect your opinion because I do... you mean a lot to me"

Zack swallowed hard, his uneasiness turning into straight anxiety and yet endearment at the same time.

"But my minds made up and whether you help me or not I'm going through with this. Even if it's dangerous and even if there's barely any chance it will work, it's the only option I have right now to see him again"

Suddenly it clicked in his mind where she was going with this and he felt his face drain of its color on the spot. She was asking him to put her through the extreme agony, the days without sleep, the violent mood swings that combined with the inhuman strength was always a deadly and nasty experience to both witness and endure.

"Teef, you can't be serious" he beseeched, trying to drop her hands but she held on tight.

"I am.. and I'd really like you to help me do this. I want you to help me get mako enhancements"

Chapter 34 Part 3- Light touches

"THIS... IS... INCREDIBLE!"

"You aren't wrong there" Cissnei agreed with Yuffie, gazing in wonder at the spectacle around them.

"I thought you said it was only for kids" Kunsel teased, getting poked in the ribcage by the ex-Turk.

Jessie stared around dumbly and amidst the explosion of colors, sights, sounds and smells around them, she saw Cissnei's hand discreetly slip into Kunsel's and smiled.

"I must say I have never seen so many happy humans in one place, though I am quite at a loss as to why" Red narrowed his eyes, looking over with a disturbed expression at a troop of men dressed in fat chocobo suits dancing around and handing out a combination of moogle and cactuar balloons.

"Well I'll show you why and before you know it you'll be a happy kitty to!", Yuffie tugged on one of Red's thick, muscular shoulders with excitement.

"Yuffie stop pulling him and don't call him Kitty, you know he doesn't like that" Tifa remarked, the first words she had spoken after hours of looking thoughtfully preoccupied.

"Hey where'd the fun boobs go!? I want her back!"

"Don't call me that"

"Hey guys, just remember we're here on business" Zack chipped in to the whole group, "me and Kunsel will be meeting with Dio later and we need to be ready to move on any info we get"

"And who's to say he will even give us any?" Jessie aimed back at Zack.

"He's a contact of Kunsel's and knows just about everything that moves in this region"

Kunsel bobbed his head, "that's right, he owes me a favor or two, he'll give us something"

Aerith giggled at the two SOLDIER's gravitas and approached them with unintentional puppy green eyes, "we understand... but surely we could squeeze in just a little bit of fun while we're here? I mean how often do you get to come to a place as amazing as this?"

Jessie watched in amusement as both men gave into the flower girls request, Aerith was always far too sweet to refuse.

"Ok, as long as this round of fun doesn't cost us five thousand gil again"

"Suppose so"

Jessie looked at the gorgeous Cetra girl clap happily and tugged at her unfeminine in comparison clothing insecurely, wondering if it been her who asked the SOLDIER's, would she have received the same response? It would probably help if she took off the tech goggles and the red bandana from her forehead and let her hair fall... ah who was she kidding? Aerith was beyond beautiful and captivating, the girly girl that Jessie had never been.

"Gaia to Jess, hello"

Jessie snapped awake from her pitiful rambling thoughts to see Zack grinning at her along with everyone else that she was caught staring off into space.

"... sorry" she shyly mumbled in embarrassment which Yuffie of course had to capitalize on.

"Hee hee, she's probably day dreaming about all the hot guys we're gonna bring back to our rooms later"

Tifa nudged the princess, "don't be disgusting, plus you probably wouldn't even know what to do with one even if you did get him back with you"

"Would to!"

"Woah woah woah" Zack pulled the breaks, "noones bringing anyone back to anyone's room, no outsiders, it's too risky. Anyway as I was saying, Jess I need you to set us up with some mics, reckon you could do that?"

"Sure I can. I'll need a couple of bits but nothing we shouldn't be able to find around here, what do you want it for?"

Kunsel answered, "For the meet with Dio, guys got a heavy south Mideel accent and isn't the kind of guy to repeat himself. I wanna catch everything he says in case we need it later"

Jessie opened her mouth to respond but a voice that sent a thousand watts of electric coursing through her body spoke first.

"How 'bout we save you the trouble yo?"

The group flipped around from the tight circle they had formed in the center of the wonder square and saw two Turks they had history with approaching.

"Oh hell, what are they doing here" Cissnei inhaled.

"This is what I was meaning to talk to you about" Kunsel whispered, looking remarkably relaxed.

Reno and Rude waded through the noisy crowds of wonder square and although they had negotiated and found common ground with the Turks in the past, old rivalries died hard and certain AVALANCHE members readied themselves for a fight.

"You really gonna draw that? in front'a all these sweet an' innocent little kiddies?" Reno chimed, making Zack's hand stop at the hilt of his sword.

"What do you want?" Cissnei stepped towards her two former colleagues while Jessie stepped away as Reno threw a quick handsome stare in her direction that made her heart punch her ribcage.

"Really Cissy? That's the hello we get? Fuck the guy who ever said absence makes the heart grow fonder"

"Cut it out Reno"

"No why don't you cut it out!" Reno snarled, suddenly stepping forward in his first true display of anger Jessie had ever seen and now Zack's sword did come out but Reno didn't seem to care. "Keep actin' like ya' one'a this lot, well you ain't! You're a fuckin' Turk so why don't ya' quit pretending you're not and come back already!"

"Easy" Rude stated plainly, reminding his colleague he was letting his emotions show.

"Reno" Cissnei whispered, masking her upset at his outburst, "I don't know if I will ever be returning"

The man's sparkling green eyes widened and Jessie heard Rude clear his throat but they both quickly recovered and Reno shrugged his shoulders like he didn't care.

"Whatever, you'll be back, once a Turk always Turk, even my sis knows it an she has degrees on this kinda shit an everything, gave up tryin'a change me years ago"

"Then I guess I'll be proving Maya wrong"

"Well be my guest! We got Laney now and once she's back from Midgar we'll be hittin' the town hard, we don't need..."

"That's enough" Zack cut in between heated stand-off. "So what did you mean by saving us the trouble?"

Jessie watched with intrigue as the attractive Turk instantly covered up his emotions and lifted the collar of his jacket and with a smirk. A skill she had seen Cissnei use many times but never the less she had caught a glimpse of Reno's true feelings about Cissnei leaving the Turks and it was clear it bothered him. Perhaps Jessie's theory that he really did have a heart after all was right, the same heart she had caught a small glimpse of back in Rufus Shinra's mansion when she was about to leave for sector seven and he gave her the electro-mag rod.

Reno sauntered over to Zack with a chuckle, "that's what I like about you Fair" he walked right up to Zack and started brushing and straightening his outfit, "you're a man like me, straight to the point"

"Straight to the point... wow" Tifa shook her head in disbelief.

"What he means is" Rude got down to business and stepped forward in his crisp black suit, "We have something you want, something you need"

"I doubt it but go on" Zack narrowed his eyes.

"We know what Sephiroth wants and are willing to exchange that information with you"

AVALANCHE's attention was violently grabbed and no one could hide their shocked reactions except Cissnei who remained emotionless and diplomatic.

"Exchange for what?" Cissnei cautionately demanded.

"For two things my darling Cissy" Reno circled around the group slowly and Jessie who was frozen on the spot felt her body thaw out when the red-head Turk slipped his fingers across the back of her hands as he passed behind her so no one would notice.

"Two things?" Rude's eyebrow rose above the rim of his shades at his partner.

"Yes Rude my man, two things. One," he turned to AVALANCHE, "information in return. Ya' see, we know exactly what ol Sephy wants, but we don't know what what he wants is. Am I making it clear yo?"

"Crystal" Rude verified in his deep articulate voice.

"But one of you here does, so it's simple, we tell you and you tell us, everyone's happy"

"And the second thing?" Zack folded his arms, trying to act casual but Jessie and most certainly the Turks could see just how desperate he was for that kind of information.

"And two", Reno flipped his gaze onto her and Jessie's adrenaline spiked. "A date, tonight, me and you babe"

Her entire body stiffened and a loud procession of shouts and confused mumbles bounced around drawing a number of looks from passers-by. Jessie felt herself go numb and barely noticed it when Tifa dragged her closer and stood slightly in front of her as if she was protecting her from a pack of wild monsters.

"Babe!? No, no way! She is not going anywhere with you!"

Cissnei stepped up to Reno and grabbed him by the front of his blazer while the others continued to shout their objections, "nuh uh, not this one Reno, you're not toying with her, forget about it"

Hey I can speak for myself!" Jessie suddenly found her voice but quickly lost it again when the shouting stopped and everyone looked at her.

"Don't you even dare consider it" Tifa warned stubbornly as Yuffie cheered.

"Wait a go Jess! Screwing a Turkey! You bad girl!"

The eighteen year old engineer's face turned crimson and if she was alone she probably would have tackled the princess to the ground and pummelled her.

"I think we should let her speak" Red softly spoke up from the ground, ever the peaceful diplomat and all was quiet again.

"I... I..." Jessie couldn't speak. She looked around at everyone's faces but it was when she looked at Reno, his head cocked slightly to one side, gazing at her with those shapely jade eyes and that confident grin that her answer came out, "yes I'll go on a date with you"

"JESSIE!"

"Teef please, I can handle myself, I mean we're talking about info that could potentially save the planet here for one date, I don't even know why we're discussing it!"

Her comment left the martial artist with no possible logical retort and although Jessie wanted to feel horrified, disturbed and angry like Tifa at Reno's demands, instead she only felt relief. She had avoided Reno for so long, despite every urge that attracted her to him because she hated Turks and swore that ever since her parents died in the slums that she would loath and depsise everything connected to Shinra. Now the decision was taking out of her hands and it felt like a weight off her shoulders, she even felt excited.

"So are we agreed yo?" Reno raised his arms out either side of him, stood against a backdrop of never ending fireworks that constantly lit up the skies over the distant roller-coaster at speed square.

Zack looked over at Jessie one more time for extra confirmation and she inclined her head to say yes.

"Agreed, but don't think for one minute you're getting more than a date" Zack scowled and then it actually dawned on Jessie, making her mouth dry up in nervous shivers, she was going on a date tonight with Reno!

"Oh don't worry, I'll take extra special care of her"

Jessie giggled, then felt Reno's eyes roll over her and hid the fact that she loved it behind a blush that she hoped the others would interpret as embarrassment.

"So now we're all the best of friends, le's start with tha' information shall we? What do ya' reckon?... Kunsel"

Both Reno, Rude and every member AVALANCHE turned to Kunsel who was stood near the back, grinning as if he already knew and found it amusing that it was him they needed information from.

"You read a highly classified document and we would like to know what was in it" Rude ordered, taking up a slightly threatening stance.

"Why don't you go read it yourselves? Or don't you even have basic clearance anymore?" Kunsel chuckled, seeming to take great pleasure at aggravating the Turks.

"Such'a wise guy. Ya' see we'd love to read it, unfortunately a bloke called Sephiroth deleted the records, I'm sure you've heard'a him. So… PAL, how about you start by telling us what black materia is"

A chill ran down Jessie's back as the smile was wiped from Kunsel's face in a heartbeat and the first true look of fear she had ever seen on the SOLDIER's face told her that things had just taken an extreme turn for the worse.


	35. Escaping expectation

**Chapter 35 Part 1- Escaping expectation**

Standing in the warm marble bathroom, hands supported against the porcelain sink hunched over, Jessie was beginning to feel ill. She was going on a a date... A DATE... a date with Reno… a date with a Turk, no matter how many times or ways she said it to herself, she couldn't settle on one emotion on how to feel about it. Roller-coasting from fear, to excitement, to resentment, to elation, back to fear, oh god she was going to be sick!

Jessie breathed, realizing that if she didn't calm down soon she was going to ruin her makeup, if you could call such a scarce amount of blusher and eye shadow makeup. Taking her gaze away from the white bowel she looked up at herself in the mirror, she had put her hair up into a high bun with two long curls running down either side of her chest. Admittedly it was by far the most feminine she had ever looked, and yet, what if it wasn't feminine enough? A guy as hot and confident as Reno had probably been with hundreds of prettier and girlier woman than her.

The thought of that got Jessie worked up into another frenzy and she grabbed Cissnei's make up bag, the one she still had since she went undercover at the honeybee inn to extract information from Don Corneo. Information that later gave her the time to save Aerith and Marlene's life before the sector seven plate fell.

Shakily and clumsily emptying out the small bag all over the sink ledge, Jessie looked at the items helplessly and considered just putting as much of the contents on her face as she possibly could. Picking up a mascara pen she rapidly undid it and raised it to her already naturally long eyelashes but froze before she could apply any. What if he didn't like girly? Perhaps Reno wasn't into the overly feminine and cosmetic look and would think she looked ridiculous. After all, he must have been interested in how she normally looked or else why would he have asked her out on a date? Or kissed her the way he did at the mines? More importantly, why did she even care!?

Her stomach fluttered painfully.

Or perhaps he wasn't even interested at all!? Perhaps he was just using her because she came across as the weakest and easiest way to get at AVALANCHE!? Oh god she was going to be sick!

Dropping the mascara pen she resumed her hunched position over the sink and started focusing on inhaling and exhaling deeply which went on until there was a strong tap at the door. It was Tifa.

"Jess? You alright in there?"

"Yep! I'm good!" she lied.

Straightening up again Jessie smoothed the red wrap dress across her body in the mirror, a color she had once been thankful to see besides pink in Aerith's meagre selection but now the color alone started to make her panic again. A red dress! Why had she picked a red dress! She had red hair! And she had blushed her cheeks! Oh Gaia she looked like a tomatoe! She really looked like a tomatoe! She hated tomatoes!

"Are you sure you're alright?" Tifa called through the door again when she continued to freak out about tomatoes for a number of minutes, "you've been in there a while. If you've changed your mind just say, it'll be cancelled quicker than you..."

"NO!.. I mean no, no I'll be right out."

Jessie hurriedly brushed at her cheeks to lightly lessen the blushed shade, said a quick silent prayer to no deity in particular, opened the door and walked out of the bathroom to an expectantly waiting brunette.

"So, how do I look?" she winced at the older martial artist and every feature on Tifa's face widened as she analyzed Jessie from her rarely seen bare legs, up to her never attempted before hair doo. "Oh god tomatoe! just say tomatoe!" Jessie whimpered and tried to dash back into the bathroom.

"Jess!... You look absolutely stunning!" Tifa gasped breathily and grabbed her back into the bedroom, "here, let me take a look at you."

Tifa twirled Jessie on the spot while the engineer tried to keep her balance on newly purchased heels and then Tifa stepped away with an expression that looked like she was about to cry. "You're so beautiful!" Tifa's voice wobbled while she clasped her hands together making Jessie squirm cheerfully.

"Really? You think so?" Jessie squeaked, feeling a million times better and grinning with her shoulders shrugged bashfully up to her ears.

The twenty year old fighter could only nod.

"You sure it's not too much red?"

"I've never seen a dress look anymore gorgeous on a person in my entire life, but then you've always been such a pretty girl Jessie."

The eighteen year old glowed, feeling her cheeks flush happily, "Thanks Teef."

Tifa opened her arms and the engineer affectionately fell into them to hug her older friend close, she always loved hugging Tifa, ever since that first time two and a half years ago when she showed up on AVALANCHE's doorstep heartbroken, penniless and alone. Tifa had hugged her then, wrapped Jessie in her arms and made her feel safe and wanted, just as she did every day since. She had been a complete stranger with little to nothing to offer and yet Tifa had demanded she was let into the group. Later when Jessie had asked why she did that that, Tifa had said it was because Jessie reminded her of herself, it seemed losing their last parent at sixteen and being thrown into a cold wide world was something they both had in common.

"Hey" Tifa hushed, "what's wrong? You're going to ruin that pretty face if you start that."

Jessie didn't realize just how tight and emotionally she had started hugging the woman and recomposed herself, pulling away with a chuckle.

"I'm fine, I think I'm just a bit nervous."

Tifa nodded with a smile, but then she remembered why Jessie was nervous and her expression transitioned to a look of worry which was amplified when she looked at Jessie's entire outfit again and the effort she had put into looking nice.

"Wait... you don't... actually like Reno do you?"

Jessie tensed and then opened her mouth but nothing came out at first until Tifa looked like she about to have a fit.

"No! No of course I don't! Don't talk crazy, he's a Turk! There's no way I would ever like a Turk!" she stated adamantly, "look I don't know why he wants this stupid date and I don't care, but I had no choice, we needed that info and that's all there is to it."

Tifa flinched violently at the mention of the details that Kunsel had revealed about Sephiroth and black materia earlier, but an energetic thumping on the door didn't allow for them to dwell on that any further.

Tifa went to open it and Jessie took one last opportunity to check herself in the mirror, a little less critically this time after her older friends compliments. Ok, so she didn't look too bad, the dress did fit pretty well and it did show off her body quite nicely, a body that was in the best shape it had ever been in from all the hiking and fighting over the last few weeks.

"Seriously!? You're not even dressed yet!" she heard Yuffie screech at Tifa from the doorway as she came stomping into the room.

"Yes I am..." the martial artist mumbled, staring down at her usual attire of a white crop top, suspenders and a black leather mini-skirt.

"You can't pull guys dressed like that!... Well actually you could... but that's not the point!"

"Yuffie, I'll go out with you but I'm not 'pulling' anyone."

"But you have to! I need a new wing girl now that Jess...", Yuffie froze as her gaze fell upon Jessie for the first time who clamped her shaking knee's together ready for inspection. If anyone was going to be brutally honest about how she looked it would be Yuffie.

"Woah, who's the smoking hot chick who looks like Jess!?" Yuffie yelled, pointing and genuinely sounding amazed.

Before Jessie could get a deeply flattered word of thanks in edgeways, the sixteen year old clambered over and as could have been predicted, became very physical in expressing her continued opinion.

"Legs! You have legs" the princess squawked, grabbing the hem of Jessie's already above the knees dress and hoisting it slightly further up her thighs.

"Hey!" Jessie barked, clamping it back down before she could be indecently exposed.

"And you have makeup on! And your hair is adorable! And! And! And you almost look as much of a babe as me!"

"Stop grabbing me!" Jessie frantically swatted the molesting ninja in every direction she could.

"And these! They look even bigger when they're not in the dark!" Yuffie pulled the neckline of her dress further down, exposing more of the red-heads cleavage.

"YUFFIE!"

"Bigger when they're not in the dark?" Tifa inquired with a raised eyebrow as she had not yet heard about her and Yuffie's ocean escapade, something Jessie planned on keeping that way.

"Nothing! That's nothing" she insisted urgently while clamping a hand to Yuffie's mouth and shoving the Wutain girl away.

"Right that's enough out of you missy" Tifa chuckled and plucked the princess away to sit her down on the end of her bed. "So where's Aerith?" she quizzed, towering over the princess who had been getting ready with the flower girl.

"Meh, pinko said she needed some time alone to do that whole 'speaking to the planet' stuff, I think she's taking this whole Sephiroth summoning a giant meteor and squishing us all in seven days pretty badly."

"Yuffie you shouldn't joke about something like that" Tifa insisted.

"Why not?" Yuffie asked nonchalantly, sprawling back and kicking her dirty boots up onto the bed. "It ain't like he's done it already. Besides, now we know his plan we're gonna stop him easy peasy right?"

"Yes we are, but you still shouldn't talk about it. Especially as there's nothing we can do about it now, not until we get that buggy from Dio tomorrow so we can cross over into Cosmo" Tifa sighed, trying to keep calm but like Jessie, her face lost color every time meteor or black materia was mentioned.

"Anyway, tonight I don't want you to think about that" Tifa continued, speaking to Jessie as she marched across the room to grab something out of her pack. "Tonight I want you to stay focused and don't for one second let that bloody Turk think that this ridiculous date is going anywhere soon."

Tifa came back over and knelt down in front of the engineer and started to lift her dress.

"WOAH! Jeez! Not you aswell!" Jessie yipped in alarm and fought to maintain her dignity but her hands were shoved away and her dress hoisted. "TEEF!? What are you...?"

"If you think for one minute you're being alone near that man without a weapon you're sorely mistaken."

Tifa took the leather strap she had grabbed from her pack and wrapped it around her leg as far up Jessie's thigh as she could get it, then walked over to the bags again leaving Jessie blushing and Yuffie grinning at her sat cross-legged on the bed.

"Nice underwear" Yuffie cackled at her black lacey knickers and it was either melt into a puddle or sneer back so Jessie chose the latter.

"Now this is only a last resort if he backs you into a corner" Tifa explained, coming back over.

"He's not going to do that" Jessie sighed, rolling her eyes as Tifa strapped her electro- mag rod to her leg.

"You don't know that" the fighter dismissed, "Now the first resort is you run away and call me the moment he even so much as makes you feel uncomfortable". Tifa pulled her dress back down which was just long enough to disguise the weapon and had just enough freedom in it not to reveal a bulge, "Do you understand?"

"Yes I understand" Jessie droned, recognizing it was futile to argue.

"Good, now let's get this fiasco over with."

* * *

**Chapter 35 Part 2- Escaping expectation**

Aerith was knelt upright in the centre of the room, hands clasped together with her eyes closed. Connecting to the planet was always so easy back in her church amongst the bed of flowers, but here in places far from any natural beauty, places full of noise and mako guzzling machines, it was nearly impossible. It was as if the lifestream knew the life of the planet was being drained in these places to fuel human desires and avoided them as much as possible.

Focusing as hard as she could to form an unlikely link, Aerith began to shake with the desperate effort to connect. She needed answers and she needed them now.

When Kunsel had told them about the black materia and meteor, at first Aerith could not come to terms with accepting that this was what Sephiroth was searching for. She refused to believe that any person who once had so much good in them could ever consider performing an act of such pure malevolence and cruelty. In her mind, a man who had once been kind and respected, a man who had once been one of Zack's dearest friends, could not truly be capable of such evil and be so far beyond saving. Aerith was convinced that if she could only speak to Sephiroth herself, to personally understand the reason behind the man's pain and anger, she could find the good in him and bring it back out.

That failing, the item she clutched in her hand at this very moment would be the final answer. Logic had told her the moment Reno mentioned the word black materia that white materia being the exact opposite was no mere coincidence. This was it, she could feel it, this was the purpose of her mother's gem, the purpose of her people's most treasured possession and the fate that Cloud had refused to tell her about. It was to stop meteor should it ever be summoned and yet it made the message the planet had given her back in Hojo's lab make even less sense than before.

"A Keeper of light searches the skies. To take back from us that which was untimely returned. An ancient power blessed to the last daughter of Gaia. The key to the gateway for the fifth guardian. We know not which paths the invader will tread. But only the warrior can restore the weapon for its defeat."

Aerith whispered the words over and over under her breath hoping they would make sense but they never did. Because of that Aerith wanted to tell herself that she still didn't know what to do and remain blissfully ignorant but deep down in her heart she knew. If meteor was summoned, if Sephiroth got his hands on the black materia and unleashed its devastating power, she would be forced to leave her friends and travel to the place she had seen in the life stream when she saved Kunsel's life. To the white city beside the lake where she had wept, to her peoples homeland where she would break Zack's heart.

Aerith brushed away a tear that fell along with the dark thoughts from her mind and got up off the floor in determination. No. She would not resign to that fate just yet, just like she had told Cloud, there was still hope, there was always hope. They could still stop Sephiroth from getting the black materia and she could still talk to him and persuade him against trying to use it, she had to hold true to that belief.

Looking in the mirror she forced herself to smile and smoothed down her trousers as she wore a smart casual outfit of jeans and a light orange tank top, a rarity for her but most of her dresses were either in for cleaning or on loan to a petrified engineer. She kept smiling until it no longer felt or looked forced and became genuine, this was not the time to mope around, not tonight, Zack would be picking her up any time...

_Knock, knock, knock_

… now.

Despite the circumstances Aerith felt a rush of excitement that Zack had actually come and they were still going to go out and enjoy the golden saucer together, a part of her had been expecting that after earliers revelations that they wouldn't. Mood instantly lightened she eagerly rushed over to the door and pulled it open, expecting to see a tall handsome SOLDIER out there but frowned when all she looked out into was an empty corridor.

"Down here."

Aerith yelped with fright and nearly skittered away back inside but held on long enough to see that it was Red.

"Hello."

"Oh Red! You gave me a scare! I'm sorry."

"That's quite alright, it happens quite frequently."

Aerith giggled happily and bent down to half hug, half stroke her friends face who she was surprised to see here. A cuddle with Red could always lift her spirits and it was while she hugged him that her fingers came across a quirky silver cactuar pendant she had not previously noticed amongst his array of other tribal accessories she liked to play with.

"What's this?" Aerith asked him as she toyed with the jewellery piece between her fingers.

"Yuffie gave it to me recently as a symbol of friendship, she said that it made us 'the best of buds'."

"Aww that's so sweet! Well I'll just have to think of something to give you as well" Aerith stated very matter-of-factly standing up. "Oooh! What about a nice pink bow? I could try and get everyone to wear one!" she teased jokingly, grinning at the thought of Barret wearing a pink bow for her.

"Well if you succeed that will be most amusing" Red sounded humoured through his light articulate accent. "For now however, I have been asked to accompany you on behalf of Zack to a location I cannot disclose, to partake in events I cannot describe."

"Really!? Did Zack say that!?" Aerith lit up, becoming a mess of excitement at the prospect of Zack sending Red to escort her to a mysterious date.

"Well not in those exact words but those were the ones I found easiest to understand."

"I'd never have guessed" Aerith chuckled stepping out the door and following Red down the spooky but charming corridor of the ghost hotel as he looked up at her sidelong.

"You know I find it quite intriguing, I have spent all of my life around a tribe of humans and yet lately I find I am discovering more about them every day. I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you associate yourself as a human or as a Cetra?"

Aerith thought about it for a moment.

"I suppose I would have to say both."

"I see. Well perhaps you can offer some clarification on something for me?"

"I'll do my best" Aerith grinned as she and Red descended the grand staircase of the hotel.

"I couldn't quite understand what it was that the Turk was demanding from Jessie, and Zack's explanation of what you are doing tonight was most baffling. What exactly is a date Aerith?"

For the rest of the walk through the legendary amusement park the Cetra girl tried to explain what would at first seem like a very simple romantic human interaction to explain, but when getting into detail it actually becomes a lot more difficult than you might think. After fifteen minutes of strolling alongside a probably even more confused than before they set off Red, they arrived at the entrance to round square where Zack was waiting at the entrance, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets looking adorably anxious. Just the sight alone was enough to make Aerith feel all warm and fuzzy inside which only increased when he saw them approach and tried to quickly tidy his appearance.

"Hey you made it" Zack called cheerily then nodded to Red, "thanks a lot buddy."

"You're welcome, enjoy you're evening of establishing, or in this case because you are already in a defined relationship, consolidating a romantic interest in one another."

Red padded away and Aerith giggled as Zack scrunched his face up in confusion.

"It's the best I could come up with" she explained, "who knew dates were such complicated things?"

"Well in that case I hope you're ready for a whole night of consolidation" he smiled his big Zack smile.

Aerith nodded eagerly and Zack put his arm around her waist, guiding her into round square and making her wonder if a day would ever come that her senses stopped becoming electrified at the simplest touch of his hand on her body.

"Sorry I didn't come get you myself, I kind'a ran out of time" Zack apologized sweetly.

"No, I actually thought it was kind of cute... wait, ran out of time for what?"

And then she saw it. A beautiful gondola awaiting them patiently, filled almost to the brim with her favourite and most preciously cherished flowers.

"Do you like it?" Zack scratched the back of his head with a cringed half-smile, unsure about whether or not it was the most unbelievably perfect thing Aerith had ever seen. "There the same as the ones from your church and your old house."

She nodded mutely she stepped into the compartment, the heavenly smell instantly reminding Aerith of home and she wanted to cry it was so beautiful.

"Oh Zack... Zack I love it. This is the best thing you could have ever done for me."

"Well I wanted to say sorry, for how I acted back…"

Zack stepped into the compartment and she passionately kissed her soul-mate before he could say another word, their relationship had survived through too much darkness for apologies, through too much pain for her to ever doubt him. She loved Zack unconditionally and Aerith meant what she said, this was truly the most romantic and meaningful gesture he could have ever given her.

* * *

**Chapter 35 Part 3- Escaping expectation**

Walking through the heavy evening crowds at speed square Jessie walked along at as fast a pace as her ability to wear heels would allow, which unfortunately remained just above a casual stroll. It wasn't so much that she couldn't walk in heels properly, it was more the fact that she was so unused to them and was playing it safe in fear of falling flat on her face as she gazed around in wonder. The whole place was alive with rides, stalls, lights, music, entertainment and crowds of people gathered to get a closer look at the even bigger display of evening fireworks.

Reno had text her to meet him here, though with the size of the place she now wished he had been more specific in the location. As Jessie scanned around for the Turk she flinched when another wolf whistle was thrown her way from one of four men passing by, it was the third one so far and to her immense relief this one didn't try to approach and chat her up like the others did. She just hoped she found Reno soon.

Jessie walked along a bit more, finding her attention slowly getting more and more grabbed by the gigantic display of fireworks and gradually her legs edged their way closer to get a better look, though one didn't really exist amongst the straining crowds. Catching a modest glimpse of the dazzling bursts of color she soon found herself hooked, Jessie adored fireworks, probably because they reminded her of bombs and explosions. Now those were something she was absolutely fanatic about.

"Wanna get a closer look at 'em?"

The sudden sensation of a person's body moving up behind her and whispering in her ear made Jessie leap in startled surprise and try to whip around, a movement far too quick and sudden to be made in heels. Stepping away she lost her footing and toppled backwards but Reno caught her around the waist, saving her from falling but at the expense of getting her body awkwardly pinned against his. Staring up into that cheeky and intriguingly handsome face of his, a moment of silence fell as Jessie's entire weight was trapped in his arms, leaving her unable to speak. Despite rehearsing what she might say, Jessie had at least expected he would do most of the talking and yet to her surprise, Reno seemed equally as incapable of speech as his eyes ran up and down her body. He was looking at her hair, her face, her eyes, then over her dress at such a close proximity that she would have felt like she was under an uncomfortable magnifying glass had it not been for the awestruck look on his face that made her shiver with delight that he seemed to like the way she looked.

"Damn... you're looking good baby."

Her shivering just went from a seven to a ten and Jessie didn't want to start panting embarrassingly, but she wouldn't have been able to breath otherwise.

"So do you" she drooled idiotically in the intensity of the moment.

Mentally cursing herself Jessie quickly untangled herself from his lean muscular body and straightened out her dress while trying to smartly recover from the sentence she had unthinkingly blurted out, "I mean uhh, so do you always feel the need to make such a dramatic entrance?"

"You've not even seen the start of it" Reno chuckled. "So how 'bout it?" he indicated his eyes up at the fireworks above the heads of the waves of people "fancy a closer look?"

"You're not going to start killing people to get to the front of the crowd are you?" she joked darkly and the Turk flashed her his teeth with a charming shark like grin that looked like he actually might be considering it.

"Come on good lookin', let's getta outta here."

The female red-head inhaled as before she knew it Reno had taken a hold of her hand and was whisking her away in the opposite direction to the fireworks display. Her heart and her heels pounding away, Jessie looked at her small hand in his, knowing that Tifa would be screaming at her right now to break the contact off and lay down the strict ground rules they had rehearsed to the man. The martial artist had made Jessie recite the list a million times over but now she was here with the man that she was undoubtedly and frustratingly attracted to, the list had flown straight from her head.

"I thought you said we were going to see the fireworks?" she called out to him above the thunderous shrieks, bangs and cheers of speed square.

"We are yo" he called back over his shoulder, "but a woman like you can't be doing it like the rest of 'em. You're way too special for that."

It crossed Jessie's mind that he had probably used that line on a hundred other women, and yet despite the thought she still annoyingly felt it work on her as a rush of warmth spread through her limbs, breaking down her willpower to keep acting hostile towards the Turk.

"Thanks Reno, that was... sweet."

Her comment made him stop and turn to look at her, except this time he wasn't looking at her dress or her hair or her legs, this time he was really looking 'at her' and Jessie felt a rush of guilt that it was probably because those were the first kind words she had ever spoken to him.

"Look Jess, I know how ya' feel ok, 'bout Shinra and 'bout Turks, I get it yeah. But I also know ya' wouldn't wanna be anywhere else than here with me right now."

Jessie's legs were about to crumble under her. Damn him and his confidence.

"So I say fuck the Turks and fuck AVALANCHE, fuck all of that for one night and let's just me an' you have some fun. What d'ya reckon?"

Gaia her heart was beating so fast and a timid but excited "ok" was all she could pitifully get out.

Reno nodded enthusiastically and the corner of Jessie's mouth lifted to smile up at him.

"Fuck the Turks and fuck AVALANCHE" she repeated, nodding.

"Fuck the Turks and fuck AVALANCHE!" Reno yelled even louder.

"Fuck all of that!" Jessie laughed loudly, agreeing for one night to only see the man and look passed the Turk in front of her.

"Let's go then!" he celebrated completely care free, taking off again with her hand still in his. "You're gonna freakin' love this."

Buzzing and unable to stop laughing Jessie held on tight as they weaved their way through the crowds together, gripping his hand tightly for support until Reno stopped them just outside of a glamorously lit up archway at a busy part of the park that was being guarded by a team of security. Reno walked confidently over to the men and Jessie felt a rush of excitement as he flashed the guards his ID and they parted to let them through.

"Mr Sinclair. Your vehicle is ready."

"Vehicle? I didn't know they had roads in the golden saucer?" she almost squealed but managed to keep it cool and Reno laughed.

"Where we're going sweetheart, we don't need roads."

Passing through the barrier they walked out onto a spectacularly illuminated causeway and Jessie's eyes stretched into balloons when she saw that it lead out onto a landing pad where a vacant helicopter was awaiting their arrival.

"You're gonna fly us somewhere!?" she lit up energetically, trying not to dig her nails into his arm.

"No, you are."

"I..? Wait... What!?"

"You're gonna drive sugar."

Jessie did a double-take then looked up at Reno open-mouthed. "But I can't fly!"

"Sure you can" he winked, then walked away, threw open the passenger side door and hopped in.

The eighteen year old stood there in an excited blur, was this really happening? Was he serious? She had ALWAYS wanted to fly one of these herself and it felt so unbelievable and yet endearing that he would even remember how passionate she was about stuff like this, let alone arrange for it on their date together. When the door closed on the passenger side, Jessie eagerly went around the other side, hopped in and kicked off her heels.

"Reno, this is amazing! Are you serious!?"

"Babe, Imagine your friend Tifa and Rude having a kid together, and then imagine that kid being raised by Tseng and the big dude…"

"Barret?"

"...that's the one. In a house owned by Rufus Shinra. That's how serious I am yo."

The mental image had Jessie creasing up, that was pretty darn serious.

"But don't you need a certain number of lessons before you're allowed to fly one of these?" she giggled anxiously.

Reno rolled his head sideways to look at look at her with a raised brow, those lively sparkling green eyes saying 'do I look like I have ever sat through a lesson on anything in my entire life'.

Given the go ahead Jessie could practically burst with the kick she was feeling right now. She was really going to pilot a helicopter herself!

"It's real easy doll, all you gotta do is…" Reno began, about to show her what buttons to press but Jessie's hands were one step ahead and she had already started the take-off process, running through the checklist in her head as she went.

_Cyclic and Collective controls locked. Master fuel valve in. All instruments in static condition. All circuit breakers in except heater. All electrical equipment off. Battery switch on. Check transmission light. Check tail rotor chip detector light. Clutch switch down/disengaged. Throttle open one quarter inch. Fuel boost on. Fuel cut off in for three seconds. Engine starter button until the engine fires. Immediately roll on throttle to increase engine rpms. Hold throttle while performing final clutch light, oil temp and alternator checks. Lower collective and roll off throttle to start main rotor needles._

The chopper blades spun to life and Reno stared across seats at her like he had just seen a three-headed Elphadunk.

"I like to read about this kinda stuff" she explained sheepishly.

"Ya' don't say" he deadpanned in awe as they both threw on their in-flight headsets, Jessie taking extra care not to mess her hair up.

"Well... here we go" she called into the mic to the remarkably relaxed looking passenger, fully expecting him to hop out now and say the joke was over.

Taking his huge grinny thumbs up as definitive confirmation, Jessie checked the area was clear then lifted the machine off. The second it was off the ground however Jessie was taken by alarmed surprise as the stick in her hand lurched under tension in a way she was not expecting but Reno's hand shot out to rescue it.

"Now that ain't sumin' ya' can learn about in a book" he chimed.

Her spine tingled and Jessie looked down at her hands being covered by his, then up at his face focused on her.

"Thanks" she croaked into the mouthpiece as he gently released the pressure back into her control.

The rest of take-off was child's play from then on and flying over the golden saucer was phenomenal as they glided above the orange glowing paradise, taking in the sights while talking, laughing and falling so easily into each other's company for well over an hour. The whole time Jessie could honestly not remember the last time she had this much fun and it felt like she could spend an eternity up here with Reno but then the fuel warning light blinked and her surprisingly kind, funny and outgoing date signalled to a spot on the highest plate of the colossal tree like structure that was the golden saucer.

"Set her down over there"

"Over there!? You sure we're allowed?"

There was a snort of laughter down the coms that made her grin and the process of setting the helicopter down on the plate spiked her adrenaline levels again.

"That... was... amazing!" she heaved, glued to her seat and breathing heavily in delight that she landed it without a hitch.

"Amazing?... Amazing don't even cut it! You rolled a V-65! Who the hell rolls a V-65 on their first go! You nearly gave me a heart attack doll but fuck it was worth it! Ya' know you're sumin else!"

"Oh god I can't believe I did that! And I can't believe it worked! I only watched a documentary!" she cheered loudly, becoming just as excited an animated as he was. "Thankyou Reno!"

Jessie threw herself across seats into his lap and hugged the man, an act she didn't regret in the slightest as he hugged her back in surprise and placed his hands on the curve of her back. She came out tonight agreeing that she would ignore looking at the Turk she hated and look just at the man, and it was the man that she found to be sweet, gentle, fascinating and still so bloody good-looking that she had no way to deny to herself that she fancied him.

"Thank you Reno" she repeated softer and then placed a delicate kiss to his cheek then hopped back into her own seat.

Reno sat holding the side of his face for a while with a dazed expression about him like he had been caught heavily off-guard, but then it was gone and his trademark signature grin was back as he undid the passenger side door.

"Don't thank me just yet" he called as he hopped out of the chopper onto the plate rooftop. "We're just gettin' started and I promised ya' fireworks remember."

He indicated in the opposite direction to where the chopper was facing so Jessie quickly slipped her heels back on and moved across to accept the hand he held out to help her down from the craft, making a conscious effort to keep her knees together as she went. She stepped out next to Reno and once her heels had touched metal, the sight that he had indicated at made her heart stop, her breathing catch and her eyes gloss over.

A beautifully laid candle lit table and two chairs stood in perfect view of an entire horizon that was exploding vividly and drenched in every possible color imaginable as if the whole world was ablaze in fireworks. She walked over in a dumb-struck haze and ran her fingers delicately along the silver cutlery and champagne bucket, the incredibly romantic deed giving her an indescribable feeling she couldn't put words to.

"I can't believe you did this for me."

"It was no biggie, don't mention it" Reno mumbled at the floor with his hands in his pocket in a way that seemed uncharacteristic of his normal self.

"No Reno, this is definitely a biggie. Why did you do this for me?"

"Cos' I thought you'd be hungry?" he shrugged, knowing that's not what she meant but then it became clear to Jessie that making such an openly affectionate gesture could not have been easy for him so she didn't push it any further.

"I am hungry, I'm starving actually" she played along, smiling warmly at him.

The pleased and almost relieved look on his face like had had been expecting her to reject his gesture surprised Jessie, but not nearly as much as him jumping like he had just remembered his manners and rushed over to pull her seat out for her.

Jessie accepted the surreal action with a small giggle and a "thankyou", then watched Reno intently as he walked around to slump comfortably into the other chair in a very Renoish way that made her happy. There was something about his mannerisms and the way he could just switch at times that were mesmerizing to watch and as sensational as the fireworks were, she couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off the man in front of her and her breathing stuck when Reno caught her staring.

"If it wasn't so sexy I'd tell you that chewin' ya' lip like that was a bad habit."

Jessie unlatched her teeth from her lower lip as quickly as she could and clenched the table cloth in an effort to hold back a blush.

"No I was just uh, wondering how we're supposed to order is all" she lied, but was still curious as she looked around and saw no one but the two of them up here.

"That's simple" Reno stated, pushing a button on the edge of the table and it could have only been twenty to thirty seconds tops before a smartly dressed waiter lifted a well-disguised hatch on the roof that lead up from a purple stairwell and walked out to stand a modest distance from their table. "Now, think'a the thing you most want to eat and they'll do it. I mean it yo, absolutely anything."

Amazed at the speed of the waiters arrival and even more amazed still that she could order anything in the world, Jessie sat there perplexed.

"Ummm... steak?" she ventured unsurely, picking the first meal that came to mind that seemed would be a suitable and classy pick on a date.

"Ah come on Jess ya' can do better than that, I know you, you're no steak girl, now what do you really want?" he eyed her intently and Jessie made a conscious effort not to start biting her lip. Had he really just used his Turk powers to deduce that she didn't really want steak?

"Come on, what's ya' absolute favorite?" he narrowed his eyes through the glow of the candle fire between them, reading her face closely.

Jessie hesitated, not really wanting to come out with her honest unladylike choice but knew if she tried to go for something else he would probably know about it.

"Bacon cheeseburger?" she tried again almost ashamedly as she twirled one of her curls around her finger. God she craved a bacon cheeseburger, it had been months since she'd had one in her, Biggs and Wedges favourite joint in Midgar.

"Bacon cheeseburger" Reno echoed with a satisfied grin, "I like that. Two bacon cheeseburgers it is" he ordered at the waiter who nodded respectfully and noted their order. "And add extra bacon" Reno called after him, his eyes still narrowed in deep analysis on Jessie, "Midgar sauce, no onions."

Jessie could have fallen off her seat. She loved bacon! She could drink Midgar sauce straight from the bottle! She would have scraped the onions out! How did he do that!?

She was going to ask him but after ordering and smiling at her that she was impressed, there was something about the way Reno turned his head as the waiter left to look out at the exploding fireworks on the horizon that made her pause. He took a deep calming breath and Jessie watched his eyes as they followed each rocket that snaked its way into the sky and then watched as the light exploded in the reflection of his pupils. She watched as his flawless complexion was bathed in the cascading light after every modest bang and although it all happened in the briefest of moments, his gaze turned distant, almost peaceful and for a second it seemed like she was looking at an entirely different person.

"You know I remember watchin' sparks like this with my sis once" he started, gazing up at the heavens. "We were in the slums back then, an' I remember tellin' her... I remember sayin' I didn't wanna drown in some shit hole like the rest of 'em. Scraping the bottom of the fuckin' barrel just to live, cos' that just weren't me. I told Maya I wanted to be just like one of them, like a firework ya' know, light it up and then go out with a bang. Go out with some kind of meaning, know what I mean?"

Reno turned his attention from the night sky back to her and Jessie remained fixated on him, listening in stunned and captivated silence.

"So if ya' keep wonderin' why I became a Turk Jessie, well that's a start"

This time when he mentioned the Turks there didn't seem to be any joy or pride in his words and whether it was the way he sounded or because he had shared something dearly intimate about himself with her, Jessie felt her heart pull.

"So what do you think baby? Do ya' like 'em?" the red haired and green eyed paradox shook the serious edge from his voice, smiled into her lively brown eyes and looked back up into the sky.

"They're beautiful" Jessie mumbled absently, not taking her eyes off the side of his face. "They're really beautiful."


	36. Magnanimous sides

**Chapter 36 Part 1- Magnanimous sides**

"Zack! I can't believe you did that!?"

Aerith half slapped half shoved the proud looking SOLDIER while she herself was in a weird state of being trapped between having a fit of laughter and a panic attack at the same time.

"You said you wanted him" Zack beamed, holding out the magnolia colored stuffed Chocobo victoriously.

"I said I thought he looked cute! Not leap fifty foot from a moving gondola to go get me him!"

"Well now miss Gainsborough, if this relationship is going to work you are going to have to be more specific."

Aerith beamed and pushed her hands against his chest, forcing him over to the bench seat behind him. "Is that a threat? Zack FRANCIS..."

"Hey!" Zack grabbed onto the rear pockets of the flower girls jeans for teasing him about his middle name and yanked her down with him.

With Aerith sat across his legs facing him he taunted the woman in his lap by running a hand down the front of her body. "I wouldn't do that you know, after all, you know I know your weakness."

Hand gliding over her abdomen he arrived at the spot just to the right of her left hip bone that he had discovered she was oddly tigglish in during their last intimate encounter. Applying pressure Aerith jolted and squealed with laughter, snatching his hand away.

"Don't be such a meany!"

Zack pressed again and Aerith squirmed in tickled ecstasy to be free.

"ZACK YOU BIG BULLY!"

"It's such a weird place to be tigglish" he chuckled, releasing the flower girl who pouted her lips at him.

"One day I'm going to find your weakness Mr and then you'll be sorry" she poked his chest and then played with the collar of his jumper. "At least after today I can scrap falling from ridiculous heights off the list."

"The falling was easy, it was the getting back up that was the hard part."

"And I was most impressed" she praised his mako enhanced parkour up scaffolding and along buildings.

Zack draped his arms around Aerith and she shifted in his lap to curl herself up against him and then gazed around at the gondola cabin.

"I have to say it again, these flowers really are amazing Zack" Aerith sighed happily as she settled comfortably into him. "Where did you get them?"

Zack looked around at the intensely bright flowers that glowed with so much life they almost made the spell binding views of the golden saucer passing them by outside look bland. It wasn't that he had purchased flowers this spectacular, in fact they were quite dull earlier compared to what they were now, this was simply the effect that the Cetra beauty in his arms had on them and it never ceased to amaze him.

"I have my sources" Zack grinned, tucking back a lock of curls from Aerith's face to get a fuller look at her naturally stunning features that had a glow that was strikingly similar to the flowers around them.

"You spoke to one of Kunsel's contacts didn't you?"

"No."

Aerith raised an eyebrow.

"Cissnei's actually" Zack replied smartly.

Aerith laughed, "they really do know people in just about all places. Oh I really do hope their date goes well tonight."

"So do I. Actually, we might even be able see them from here."

They looked at each other mischievously and then both stood up quickly to rush over and eves drop off the side of the gondola. To both their surprises however, they saw that it was in vein as they had both got so wrapped up in each other's company that they didn't notice that everyone had turned into thousands of tiny ant sized people far below.

"Maybe not" Zack chuckled.

"Wow we're so high up now" she breathed then looked at him sidelong, "… that wasn't a challenge."

"Nope, pretty sure that one would kill me."

Aerith placed her hands under her chin and leaned her elbows on the side of the gondola window, sighing contently at the view as a warm night-time breeze blew at the long heavy twist of hair hanging over her left shoulder.

"It's so pretty". She took a deep inhaling breath, closing her eyes briefly as she took in the scent of home again, "how could anyone want to destroy all of this?"

Aerith tensed and he knew why.

"Zack I'm sorry, I didn't mean to mention..."

"Hey, don't worry about it" he smiled and genuinely meant it, "I've come to terms with Sephiroth and Genesis now. In a way I've come to understand it."

"What do you mean?" Aerith turned her focus from the golden fairy tale world outside to look at him as Zack adopted the same position she had been in to stare out into the distance.

"I always liked Sephiroth, right from the start. I could always tell there was more to him, more than just the stone cold general that everyone else saw. I wanted to see if I could get that side to show, get him to open up a bit more, become more social, that kind of thing."

Aerith nodded and placed a hand gently against his arm "I know, I remember the way you used to talk about him when you used to visit me after work"

"Yeah... but I could always tell, no matter how much effort he put into being... I guess normal, and he did, he really did try, there was always this look in his eye. No matter how many places we went, or how many dumb parties I dragged him to", Zack smiled into the night fondly at a handful of memories. "There was still always this look that never went away... like he was lost"

Zack shook his head, this wasn't what he wanted to talk about, tonight was about him and Aerith

"What I'm trying to say is, Sephiroth's just doing what he thinks is right, what Jenova has brain washed him to believe will find him a place he belongs. Just like Genesis believes the goddess betrayed him and he deserves revenge. They're both just fighting for their beliefs, for their goals and rightly or wrongly I can understand that, because I would always fight for mine."

"Yours?"

"You see when Barret spoke to me back in the Corel mountains about how he wanted to help his old town rebuild itself and what he was going to do when this was all over, it kinda got me thinking about my own future."

"And what did you think of?"

"That's just it, I kept trying to think, of where I would go, of what I would do and I couldn't think of anything."

Zack closed his hand over the top of Aerith's and looked into her patiently listening eyes.

"But one thing was always the same. In every scenario that I imagined of what my future might look like or of what I might do, you were always in it, every single time."

He lifted Aerith's dainty hand, placed a firm kiss in the center of her palm and the entire gondola glowed as the surrounding flowers bloomed impossibly brighter.

"That's when I realized, it didn't matter what I did or where I went, as long as you were with me that was enough."

"Oh Zack... you thought about our future?" her chest heaved beautifully.

"Always. I couldn't see any other future without you in it Aerith."

Suddenly the glow of the cabin dimmed and seeing her spirit visibly drop was not what he was expecting.

"What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?"

"No no no" Aerith rushed, placing a hand to his cheek, "no you didn't say anything wrong at all. The fact that you're thinking like that is the sweetest thing ever and it means the world to me, it really does."

"Then what's the matter?" he whispered his confusion.

"It's just that… I don't want you to ever think you don't have a future Zack. I want to know that if something happened to me on this journey, that you would keep going. I want to think that you would still find happiness."

"But that's why I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I'm going to keep you safe, I'm gonna be a better bodyguard from now on. That's why I wanted to give you this."

Zack walked over to the wooden panel under one of the two bench seats of the gondola and took out the box he had kept hidden as a surprise gift to her.

"You got me a present?"

He nodded, pleased to see some of her cheerfulness return even if it was just a little bit, he despised seeing Aerith any other way.

"Zack you shouldn't have, now I feel terrible that I didn't get you anything."

"You've given me more than enough these last couple of weeks, it's my turn. Plus it's kind of a present for both of us, go ahead, open it."

He pressed the weighty and beautifully carved dark Banora wood casket into Aerith's hand and he was relieved to see from her reaction that at the very least the box itself had been a success. Waiting with baited breath he watched as she sat down, placed the box on her lap to lift the lid with both hands and peer into the black velvet lined container.

"These are... I can't believe... they're amazing... I don't know what to say."

Internally cheering to himself he went to sit beside his speechless partner as she tenderly ran her hand along the smaller of the two precious metal wrist armlets that were engraved just as intricately as the box in a swirling design that only completed itself when the two bracelets were together.

"They're a unique pair made from a rare metal called Ziedrich, just about as good as armored materia bangles get apparently, they'll be a pretty powerful upgrade."

Slotted combat bracelets were a necessity in efficiently wielding materia in battle, making them a must for everyone in AVALANCHE. Most of the group up to this point however were running with basic silver and carbon bangles, nothing as refined or exquisite as these jewellery pieces that he and Kunsel had pulled some serious strings to acquire.

"I... I've never seen bracelets so beautiful before."

Zack smiled and took his larger of the pair to click it around his wrist.

"There's more to them, the main reason why I got them for us. You see they're not just your usual kind of bangles", he explained, indicating for Aerith to take hers and put it on.

"They're not?" she clicked hers around her opposite wrist, "It fits! Thankyou! It's looks so pretty!"

Moisture gleamed on the surface of Aerith's big emerald eyes as the item fit perfectly and looked even more stunning against the delicate backdrop of her arm.

Zack stood up and moved away from her, walking in as wide a perimeter as he possibly could in the surrounding cabin, watching her face closely as she looked wide-eyed back and forth between her wrist and him.

"Do you feel it?"

"I feel it! What is that!?"

It was the pull of the bracelets she was feeling and he could sense it to in his, it was the faintest of attractions, strong enough to feel the direction to the other one but not too strong that it felt heavy or distracting.

"It's that Ziedrich stuff, it's like some crazy magic metal that when pieces are made together they remain drawn to one another forever. I don't know the whole science of it but it's the kind of thing that Jessie would go nuts over."

Zack went over to place his bracelet next to Aerith's and lay a hand against her hip with the other arm affectionately.

"So this one and that one are a pair and no matter where in the world either of them go, they'll always pull towards each other, no matter how far apart they become. So whatever fights and battles are ahead of us I'll always know where you are and keep you safe. Or if we ever get separated again, we'll always be able to find each other. I lost you for four years, I never want to lose you again."

The moisture in her eyes finally spilled over and two small arms found their away around his waist.

"Neither do I Zack, I really really don't."

He embraced the flower girl back for a long and intimate stretch of time, then taking her chin softly between his thumb and finger he lifted her face to his, "I love you Aerith, I'd always fight for you, remember that."

The moment screamed for it and at precisely the same time they leaned into one another to kiss but his mouth only had a chance to brush against hers lightly, teasing him with the faintest hint of that sweet taste that was so uniquely Aerith until the Gondola suddenly pulled to a harsh stop. Jerking at the abrupt movement they both looked around the place, then at each other and laughed sheepishly as they realized time had flown again and the tour ride was over.

"I guess we didn't do much of the sight-seeing" he shrugged humorously.

"I guess not."

"Sir. Ms. We hope you had a great time."

"We did" Aerith smiled as a young man working at the golden saucer opened the ride cabin door. "We really did."

They stepped out and wondered away hand in hand and it made Zack grin to see the bracers on their wrists align neatly, whoever the metal smith from Banora had been who designed these, they had really gone the extra mile.

"So what do you want to do now?" he squeezed her hand lightly.

Aerith thought about it for a moment and then with a visible rush of eagerness for her own idea, took off with Zack stumbling after her as he was suddenly pulled along.

"I have a great idea!"

* * *

**Chapter 36 Part 2- Magnanimous sides**

"Kunsel stop!"

Cissnei clutched her painful sides, trying to suppress her close to hysterical laughter before her cheeks exploded.

"And then when Zack wasn't sure whether he was supposed to be kissing the king or the princess!"

Cissnei creased up laughing even harder making her cry, actual tears were rolling from her eyes.

"I must admit... It wasn't what I was expecting at my first pantomime" she coughed once she had calmed down enough to speak. "Aerith sure made a pretty princess though."

"So that's how many things you've never done off the list now?" he asked as they toppled out from event square together into wonder square.

"Twenty-three" she beamed, turning to him and walking backwards in childish excitement.

"And does this make it twenty-four?"

Kunsel glided up to her, slipped a hand behind her neck and she let him shamelessly kiss her, realizing but not caring that she looked exactly like one of the love sick idiots she used to look at from afar and detest. Feeling his strong boisterous lips on hers never became any less incredible for Cissnei, but she couldn't help wondering how he might think this was number twenty-four. She suddenly got her answer when she felt his tongue slip into her mouth, making a soft yelp go off in her throat and her eyes widen at first but then they closed when she focused on the sensation it was giving her. The thought of kissing with tongues was something that had always seemed so gross to her in the past but now she was actually on the receiving end of it, it most definitely made for a pleasurable number twenty-four of things she had never done. By the time he pulled away she was oddly delirious and Cissnei was pleased his hands were there to balance her by the shoulders or there was a good chance should would have toppled over.

"So?" he smirked, asking if that was in fact number twenty-four.

Recovering some of her wits she decided to tease the SOLDIER and turned her back on him, sauntering away in as womanly a fashion as she could then turned to look at him over her shoulder and shrug.

"Maybe."

"Maybe!?", Kunsel's expression dropped in an unmasked slap of pride and Cissnei giggled quietly under her breath as she waltzed away, knowing his eyes were checking her out. "Oh I get it, going to play like that are we?"

"You're not feeling threatened are you?" she poked as he jogged after her and threw an arm around her waist.

"Well either way, I'll still always be the first guy ever rode on a roller coaster with, you can't take that from me."

"No, nor that you're the first guy who's ass I've kicked in the battle square."

"Hey you played dirty!"

"And you have mako."

"Touche."

Cissnei's cheeks hurt again from more laughing and she stepped in front of Kunsel, keeping his arm around her and not caring that they were slap bang in the middle of the crowded energetic wonder square.

"Kunsel, I just wanna say I'm really glad we came, tonight's been the most fun I've had in... ever."

The ex-Turk meant it, she had made more fond memories in tonight alone then in the rest of her life time combined. Fun that felt like she never even knew existed before today. Even a kids pantomime, something that old Cissnei would have loathed the mere thought of had been enjoyable. Though Zack confidently appearing on stage and taking his role as the 'hero' way too seriously until being reduced to a bumbling wreck at the misunderstood kiss scene may have had something to do with that.

"And I've never had more fun watching someone do so many new things. Which reminds me, I think I've just seen number twenty-five."

Kunsel looked over her shoulder and she followed his striking multi-colored eyes to a luminous and garishly pink stall that a small line of children and parents cued up jovially at.

"Ever had any?"

"No."

"You've never had candyfloss!?"

She shook her head and he sighed.

"Ho boy, how did I know? Rekka you're making my heart bleed darling... well you better get over there quickly."

Kunsel took out the last of their GP and handed the golden saucer currency to her.

"I'll head over to the exchange thingy and get more."

"Can't I do that?" Cissnei uncomfortably scrunched her face up, "there's only kids in that line."

"Well you have a lot of childhood to catch up on yourself. Now go."

Kunsel turned her towards the line and gently sent her off by tapping her on the behind. An action he knew would make her heart climb into her throat so as she stumbled away she shot back at him what came off as somewhere between an evil glare and a flirtatious grin.

Joining the back of the small line Cissnei instantly felt like a fish out of water, re-living her lost childhood at the age of twenty-one was certainly not what she had been expecting tonight. It took five hellish minutes and the aggravating stare of a small boy in front who had grown a gawking fascination with her before she was at the front of the cue. Cissnei sighed and stepped up to the young girl in her mid-teens who was working the stall and cringed when she caught the girl look to either side of her, expecting to see a child.

"Hi there!"

"Hi" Cissnei blandly mumbled with a hundred times less enthusiasm.

"What would you like?"

Cissnei frowned at this, they only served the stupid pink stuff that caught in the heat of this embarrassing moment had quite forgotten its name.

"Uh. Some of that pink stuff please."

Cissnei winced as a child behind her laughed. Gaia now she was being mocked by children, there was a time once that she was a feared Turk, how did it all come to this?

"You mean candyfloss? Stick or bag?"

_Yes, what else could I damn well mean and right now I couldn't care if it was attached to a toilet brush I just want to get out of here._

"Bag please" she tuned, forcing a smile that she tried her best not to make look hateful or condescending.

Once she was given the bag of pink fluffy humiliation she paid and hurried away to go find Kunsel over at the GP exchange in the extensive flashy arcades.

Slipping her way through the sea of machines, lights and people she didn't even make it to the brightly sign posted exchange counter before a voice she recognized singled itself out amongst all the noise.

"Ooh aye laddy, ye'll be most pleased we'a readin'."

Cissnei froze, she most definitely knew that voice!

"Well I'll hand it to you, you sure don't take no for an answer pal."

That was Kunsel! Cissnei looked around frantically through the crowd and moved stealthily towards their voices as fast as possible.

"We'a cannay jes turn ye back on yer fortune."

Dodging passed a group of loud men gathered around a single slot machine, she caught a brief glimpse of Kunsel and his new found company during a parting in the crowd and her eyes narrowed morbidly as her suspicion on who Kunsel was talking to was confirmed. As Rekka was back in her room, she knelt down momentarily to check that she still had the dagger she always carried on her left ankle, not that she had any reason to use it or draw it just yet, but whenever Shinra were involved you couldn't take your chances.

Walking over to the pair, Kunsel who was totally clueless of who he was really talking to smiled and winked over to her but she semi-ignored it. The last thing she needed to be thinking about right now was how bloody handsome the SOLDIER was.

"Hey Ciss, get a loada this little guy, he reckons he can tell me my fortune."

Cissnei folder her arms and the so called 'fortune teller' saw her and squeaked in alarm.

"Naw I don't! T'was jos' a joke, I'll jos' be on me merry wey now."

"What are you doing here Cait?"

The small mechanical cat froze as he tried to bound away and turned to her with a 'oh-I-didn't-recognise-you-were-there-isn't-this-a-pleasant-surprise-I'm-so-happy-to-see-you' face.

"Ey Cissnei! Fancy seein' yew 'ere lass, how ye doin? Good! good! Anywho's, moost be off!"

"Hold it"

Cait Sith wen't rigid, if such a thing was possible for a clockwork toy.

"I said, what are you doing here? Why are you speaking to Kunsel?"

"Hey, what's going on?" Kunsel whispered his bemusement to her, wanting to be filled in but she gave him a 'trust me' look and he nodded.

"Kunsel? Oo's Kunsel? I dare'nay know a Kunsel"

Cissnei gave the cat her favorite unamused stare, a stare that never failed her while she was a Turk and didn't fail her now as Cait Sith looked like he was about to start profusely sweating, absent the actual sweat.

"Oooh ya' mean ta' say this chappy o'er 'ere is with yew? Well that be a mighty coincidence if e'er I did see one."

"Cait, put me through to Reeve" she ordered sternly, knowing that the cat could keep talking for the whole of Midgar.

"Pfff Reeve shmeeve. Look 'ere las, yer got it all wrong, I'm just a wee cuddly toy havin' a nice li'l holiday."

"A holiday?"

"Aye a holiday! I 'av rights to yee know!"

"You were trying to weasel your way in and trick Kunsel, now who put you up to it and what do they want?"

"I dannay know whot'cha talkin' about", Cait folded his arms stubbornly.

"Right, that's it, Reeve you've got three seconds to get out here before I turn Cait into a box of scrap."

She grabbed the black and white cat of its giant pink moogle perch and Cait Sith started squirming and punching around with his little white gloves to be let go.

"Gair yer big oafish 'ands off meh!"

"Three"

"Bring it! I'll take yer all on!"

"Two"

"I'll never speak! Never!"

"One"

"FREEEEDDDDOOOOMMMMM!"

Suddenly Cait Sith's impassioned battle cry cut out as he was deactivated and Reeve's voice shouted out urgently in its place.

"I'M HERE! WAIT! DON'T BREAK HIM!"

Cissnei paused before she pummelled Cait into the floor and placed her free hand on her hip victoriously while Kunsel looked around at a total loss.

"Hello Reeve."

"Hi Cissnei", Reeve droned unhappily. "Did you really need to make the break threat? Cait has feelings to you know."

She dismissed the accusation that she had hurt a small mechanical cats feelings and started her interrogation.

"So what's going on?" Cissnei demanded once more.

There was a long pause on the other end, "...I can't tell you"

Lifting the limp Cait Sith higher up in the air, she readied her hand to smash him against the ground again.

"OK THE TURKS! The Turks made me do it!"

"Go on" she let the toy dangle in the air.

"They found out" Reeve sighed, "They found out that I helped you with the security codes to hack the news network. They said I had to either do what they asked or I'd go to prison."

"So what did they ask for?" Kunsel started well but then went off on a tangent. "Oh and can I just quickly say, huge fan Mr. Tuetsi, I think you're incredible work is hugely underrated. I know a girl called Jessie who would love to meet a great inventor like you."

"Thankyou. Your too kind" the head of urban development proudly sang as Cissnei shot Kunsel a 'get serious' face.

"Uh, more importantly, what did they ask for!?" he glared.

"Well, looks like I'm a dead man now anyway so there's no point in hiding the rest... So the Turks figured out that Dio owes Kunsel over here a favor after they found out he saved the guys life in the Kalm fire-bombings."

Cissnei gave Kunsel a sudden look at this and he calmly tilted his head as if to say they would talk about that another time so she let Reeve continue.

"Now Dio has something they want called a runestone but you see it's not that easy to steal from a guy like Dio, not even for Turks. So they wanted me to convince Kunsel to ask him for it and then I was gonna be forced into making Cait steal it and hand it over to them."

Reeve finished his confession and heaved sadly.

"I'm sorry guys, I didn't have any other choice."

Cissnei placed Cait Sith back on top of the giant pink moogle in disappointment.

"Reeve… why didn't you come to me first? You know I would have helped."

"I don't think even you can help me with this one Cissnei, Midgar's gone crazy since the assassination attempt. Between the curfews and the house arrests going on I may as well already be in a prison, I can't breathe without fifty different eyes seeing me. Cait Sith was my only contact to the outside world and even he's got the Turks claws dug into him."

She had to pity Reeve, he was a kind man who meant well and it was certainly one hell of a tough situation to be in.

"What do you mean assassination attempt?" Kunsel asked before she could.

Reeve hesitated, "I shouldn't know this, so in the small off-chance I do get to live then you didn't hear it from me. Apparently some Turk's tried to knock off Heideggar, things went bad and a whole loada fighting broke out."

"Anyone dead?" Cissnei pressed, surprising herself with the concern she felt.

"There were a lot of dead SOLDIER's and I heard that some new Turk called Elena got shot pretty badly. I think they got her out but I doubt she'll live."

A knot twist in the pit of Cissnei's stomach that felt something close to guilt. She had never met Elena previous to their encounter at the mythril mines but she couldn't help thinking that it was because of her that the woman had been recruited into the Turks prematurely. If things hadn't have happened the way they did, that could quite easily have been Cissnei's mission and it would be her facing deaths door right now.

"Ok, anything else?", Cissnei swallowed her conscience, something she had done most of her life.

"What that wasn't enough!?" Reeve exclaimed.

Satisfied the Shinra executive had told them everything he knew she turned to Kunsel.

"Do you know what this so called runestone they're after is?"

He nodded but then signaled his eyes warily at Cait Sith.

"It's ok, go ahead, he isn't dumb enough to cross more than one assassin in a day, isn't that right Reeve?"

There was no response, just an audible gulp on the other side and Kunsel carried on.

"It's the key to open the temple of the ancients where the black materia is kept, and before you ask, no I don't know where the temple actually is."

Cissnei clenched her fists together that her fellow Turks had not lived up to their end of the deal and told them everything they knew about Sephiroth's motives.

"Reno that little rat, I'm gonna ring his little neck the next time I see him."

"So I guess we have no choice but to ask Dio for the runestone and then keep it ourselves" Kunsel shrugged, "If we don't, the Turk's will only find another way of getting their hands on it."

"True. Ok let's go find Dio."

"Wait!" Reeve yelled, "You can't! If you take the runestone for yourselves then I'm really dead, as in an actual bullet in my head dead."

Cissnei paused and racked her brain in exasperation, Reeve was right, Tseng was not going to take kindly to being double-crossed. She couldn't just leave Reeve to be killed on her behalf, but handing the runestone over to the Turks wasn't an option either. Kunsel was the first to offer up a solution.

"What if we take the cat along with us, make them think Reeve has infiltrated AVALANCHE and string them along for as long as possible."

"Tseng's too smart for that to work for any real length of time but it might just give me the time I need to make some calls and arrange to get Reeve out of Midgar."

"Yes! Thankyou! Excellent plan!" the Shinra executive cheered.

"Fine, the cat stays, the stupid pink moogle thing goes."

"Awww really?" Reeve complained.

"Yes really... why is this even a thing?" Cissnei eyed the lurid monstrosity distastefully.

"I thought it made Cait look rather regal and dashing."

Cissnei's unamused stare was back.

"... fine, the moogle goes."

Cissnei nodded and picked up Cait Sith. "And the cat stays switched off at all times until I say otherwise."

"Ummm, I'm afraid that's not something I can really promise" Reeve confessed.

"And why not?" Cissnei frowned.

"Well you see... I don't have as much control over Cait Sith as you might think, he is developing far beyond my expectations, it's actually quite fascinating."

"Tha's right! So ye'll just have'tere get used to it!"

Cissnei jolted as the little machine cat sprung to life in an intentionally erratic manner to frighten her. Accidentally dropping him to the ground, Cait Sith landed ungracefully on his rear and then scampered across the floor to climb up the side of Kunsel's body and stand tall on one of the man's shoulders.

"Bloody brilliant view! On we go lad!"

Cait Sith patted Kunsel on the head and the SOLDIER chuckled as he sent Cissnei an amused stare who rolled her eyes in return.

"Come on then" she droned, feeling bitter that her date with Kunsel had been so abruptly interrupted.

Kunsel nodded and Cait Sith did a happy little jig on his shoulder as the three of them set off to go find Dio and get the runestone.

"Ooooooh goin' on an adventure wee all me chums, this'll be the bees knees! I always wanted ter' go on'a real life adventure."

"Yeah well just keep the volume down" she ordered sourly and Cait Sith turned, stared at her and then put his tiny hand paw thingy to Kunsel's ear.

"Pssst, Kunsel lad, is the las o'er 'ere always this toof?"

"I can hear you you know" she called out to them in front.

"She likes everyone to think so, but really she's a big softie."

Though he whispered to Cait Sith, Kunsel turned to her and held out his hand affectionately and Cissnei oddly blushed. There was something about being called a 'softie' by the man she was infatuated with that made her feel warm inside. She wanted that to be the way that Kunsel saw and thought of her. She wanted him to remember this new side to her, the side that only he saw, the side that had a conscience and a heart, the side that she had long buried and he had brought back to life.

It was only when she was with him that she was Rekka again and while Cait Sith jabbered away happily about adventure she took the SOLDIER's hand and squeezed it tight. She would always be Rekka for him, even though she would leave tonight without saying goodbye while he was sleeping, even though she might not see him again in a long time and the ruthless Turk would have to return to do what needed to be done, she would always be Rekka for him. For him she would always be that 'big softie'.


	37. Just us

**Chapter 37 Part 1- Just us**

Heels flailing around in her hand, Jessie skidded bare foot around the corner of a nearby alleyway, running as fast as she could with Reno close in pursuit. Ducking into the dark dead-end corridor she slammed her back against the wall and took cover, breathing raggedly as she hid out of sight. Then waiting until she heard his footsteps were close, she lunged out and grabbed Reno with both hands to yank him in after her.

"Easy tiger!"

"Are... they... gone!?" she panted heavily, gripping the front of his clothing wildly.

"Those two useless fat goons? We lost 'em ages ago"

"Ho jeez"

Jessie released her hold, let out a big sigh and set her head back against the hard wall with eyes closed as her pounding heart slowly died down. Opening them again she met with Reno's light green eyes in the dark alley and looking at each other they burst into laughter.

"RENO YOU TOTAL LUNATIC!" she giggled and threw one of her heels at him which he caught expertly.

"I warned 'em yo, I said ten more minutes or else"

"Yeah but was a brick through the window really necessary?"

"Hey, nobody manhandles me or my date and gets away with it"

Jessie laughed some more and then stood up on her own two naked feet again.

"I can't believe they chucked us out! Just as I was about to win as well" she pouted unhappily.

"Keep tellin' ya'self that baby"

"It was sixty-three to sixty-five! I was two games off and totally had your strategy sussed!"

Jessie still couldn't come to terms with the fact that she had lost, she had never lost at that game before in her life. When Reno had challenged Jessie to her favourite two person fighter as they passed through wonder square, she had smiled smugly, thinking he had no clue what he had just put himself in for and couldn't possibly put up any kind of a real challenge against her in a game was close to pro at. Then when on the first round he instantly combo'd her into the ground and the big K.O. sign appeared on her screen, her face had dropped off the face of the planet and thus began a three hour long war that raged until the establishment physically had to remove them from the machine.

"Those guards were pretty big jerks about it" she admitted, secretly pleased that he had bricked the place.

"I'll be honest, weren't expecting it ta' set off that many alarms though, how ya' feet doll?" Reno asked as he looked down at her bare feet somewhat apologetically for making her run.

"I thought I stood on glass at one point but I didn't" she looked at the bottom of her dirty blackened feet and cringed.

"Soz 'bout that. Here"

Reno knelt down in front of her on one knee and Jessie felt a sudden rush of air enter her lungs as he took her bare ankle in one hand and the shoe she had thrown at him in the other. Her first reaction to the oddly intimate hold was the reaction that she didn't know how to react, then she saw again how dirty her feet were from running bare foot in the streets and tried to pull away in red-faced modesty.

"You don't have to..."

"I want to" he insisted and didn't let go.

Jessie fell silent again, watching dumbly as he put the shoe to her foot and just as soon as her breathing had died down it started picking right back up again. Watching and feeling his every movement it took most of her willpower to do the two simple activities of pointing her toe to help him get it on and placing a modest hand to the base of her dress, wondering just how much he could see at that low angle and how it was possible that a man simply helping her put her shoes back on was putting her in this much of a daze.

"Other one"

"Huh?"

"The other shoe sweetheart"

"Oh!" Jessie quickly handed him the other heel she was gripping onto insanely tightly and let out a small pathetic attempt at a nervous laugh.

The next shoe sent Jessie's senses on the corner of a dark alleyway with Reno crashing in heightened waves as the gentle kindness of his action not only felt touching, it felt pleasurable. There was something in the way he did it, things that she knew he was doing intentionally but was powerless to resist enjoying none the less. Little precise things like the way he glided his fingers across the side of her foot softly, the way his hand ran lightly up her leg to hold her calves to push the heel on, the way he touched for longer than what was necessary or the way he took his delicate time with the strap.

"Thanks" she just about managed to squeeze out through erratic breath when he was done, feeling like she had a ten ton weight bearing down on her chest.

"Don't mention it" Reno winked, then got up and went to look out of the alleyway, signalling to her when he saw the coast was clear.

Stepping out after him Jessie looked around to get her bearings on where they were. It was the dark early hours of the morning and they were in the once lively but now completely deserted streets of wonder square.

"So how bout we call it a draw yo?" Reno gentlemanly volunteered as they began walking as slowly as they could through the quiet empty square together, neither of them wanting to reach their next destination and the end of the date anytime soon.

"Hey I don't want your pity victory, I'm going to beat you fair and square buddy" she poked him at arm's length.

"Fine. That just means we'll have to play again" he snapped his teeth cheekily at her hand, pretending he was going to bite and making Jessie pull her hand away with a laugh.

"Yeah, I'd like to"

_Actually I'd really really like to but…_

Jessie's slow footsteps faltered to a halt and her heart sunk as the true sense of what she was saying and thinking brought reality crashing back down. She had so much in common with Reno and was having such a time of her life that she had completely forgotten he was a Turk and that this wasn't a real date. She had forgotten that there was no second date or seeing him again soon, after tonight they would become enemies once more and she would never get to have this feeling again.

"Everything 'ite doll?"

"Perfect" she grinned and hurried along to keep up with him. She didn't need to accept that their time together was over, not just yet anyway.

"So tell me gorgeous" he swung his arm around her shoulders as they casually rambled along together, "d'ya still think ya' needed ta' bring that weapon along?"

"You noticed!?" Jessie gasped and moved her hand in embarrassment to the side of her leg, "Ugh, it wasn't my idea! Teef made me wear it"

He nodded, her response seeming to please him.

"When exactly did you notice anyway?" she pried out of curiosity, hoping the answer wasn't thirty seconds ago in an alleyway.

"'Bout the first five seconds I saw ya'"

"How!?" she asked perplexed, looking down at her red wrap dress that not even she could notice the electro-mag rod through.

Reno just stared around the empty square and teased her by not responding with a smile that was infectious.

"Tell me" she grinned and nudged the side of her body into him.

"It's the way you're walkin' darlin', your left leg is movin' stiffer than ya' right"

"Well how do you know I didn't just hurt my leg?"

"Coz ya' stride is even on both sides"

She looked up at him as they walked along with a questioning stare.

"People who've actually hurt 'emselves overcompensate with bigger steps on the other leg. Watch the lead player of Paralapse EDM, the one with the dodgy leg, you'll see what I mean"

"You like Paralapse?" Jessie asked casually but was secretly a bomb of excitedness ready to explode.

"To right I do"

She went off.

"So do I! They're my favorite!"

"Really? You're into EDM?"

"Only since I was like six!"

"EDM, video games and explosives, christ you're hot Jess. Ok, what 'bout favorite movie?"

That was easy for Jessie, "Selex down"

"Mine to yo"

"No way! No you're just saying that aren't you!?"

"Pfff to hell I am, the guy rides on the back of a freakin' nuke, it don't get any better than that"

"Oh god I love that scene!"

"You know they're releasing the second one in a coupl'a weeks right? Pretty hype"

"I am so hype!"

"Ok ok, what 'bout favourite color?"

"Purple"

"Red. Damn we were doing so well"

Jessie cracked up laughing again, something she seemed to be doing an absurd amount of during this date.

"Your favourite color is red?"

"After tonight it is" Reno replied, making eyes at her dress as they strolled along and Jessie shoved him away playfully.

"You're hopeless"

"They hired a doctor to try and make me less good lookin' for this undercover mission once, he said the same thing"

"Smoothe" Jessie chuckled shaking her head and making her curls bounce, there really was no other person quite like Reno.

Unexpectedly the man suddenly stopped walking next to her in the middle of the street and paused, making her stop as well and turn in confusion.

"Well we're here yo"

Jessie drew a blank on that statement at first but then looked around to see that they were only one street away from the tube entrance to the ghost hotel and if she had felt her heart sink earlier, then it had just hit the bottom of the sea bed now. Her date with Reno was now over.

"I guess it's that time of the night" she spoke casually as she exhaled slowly, saying anything that came to mind in an attempt to hide the gut wrenching feeling of disappointment from showing.

"Yeah... guess it is" he returned sullenly not even bothering to try and disguise the same feelings she had just put so much effort in to conceal.

It made Jessie gaze up at him in surprise, wondering if she could have ever anticipated in a million years that on a date with Reno, she would have been the least open and honest of the pair in displaying their emotions. It made her feel terrible, he had spoiled her, shown her an amazing time and had put real effort into this evening, the least he deserved now was her honesty.

"I've had the best time ever tonight Reno, you've made me really happy. I don't know how to thank you enough"

"Don't s'pose catching Selex down two is an option?"

The eighteen year old engineer felt a lump form in her throat and she shook her head, trying not to openly well-up in front of him.

"Didn't think so" he stared at the ground but then lifted his head with a difficult grin that was far from infectious this time, "well it was fun yo"

She forced her smile back "yeah, it was fun" she nearly whispered.

Boldly placing her hand on his arm she stepped up to Reno and stood up on her tip-toes to place a long lingering kiss to his cheek, feeling her eyelashes wetten against his skin.

"Bye Reno"

"Yeah, cya Jess"

Finding his goodbye too horrible to listen to she quickly turned and started walking away, not needing to look back to know he wasn't moving from the spot which made her exit feel all the more unpleasant. She liked Reno, she liked him a lot and now she swore angrily at herself for ignoring the miniature Tifa in her brain all night and allowing herself to become more emotionally attached to the man.

"Please just go, please just go" she trembled inaudibly over and over under her breath as she walked away with arms folded across herself, unsure whether she was begging it of herself or him.

With the clatter of her heels being freakishly amplified by the echo of the quiet empty streets, every step Jessie took away from him she felt her chest tightening more and more, becoming closer to tears until it was too overwhelming and she stopped. Turning back on the spot she didn't know what she was doing, all Jessie knew was she didn't want this to end and she marched back over to Reno at an urgent uncontrollable pace.

"Jessie?"

"I don't care anymore"

She threw her arms around Reno's neck and pulled him down to her mouth, greedily forcing their lips together in an entire evenings worth of pent up feelings and passion that she couldn't hold back any longer. Crashing into him her will to resist had finally broken and as Reno responded without hesitation to kiss her in return and wrap his hands around the back of her dress, she shuddered vigorously in his arms. She knew this was insane, she knew this was a huge mistake but it didn't matter anymore, Reno had her locked once again in that perfect fit against his body and no force on Gaia was going to give her the strength to break away from the irresistible heat of his body.

Giving into fate, Jessie kissed him over and over in a fiery open mouthed exchange, completely clueless and unpracticed at what she was doing but continued nevertheless, working on raw instinct alone to satisfy the craving that had been painfully building inside of her since the mines to taste and feel the Turk again. His hands were on the tight fabric of her clothing, his face so close she could feel his gorgeously hot breathing on her cheeks and that familiar firm and intoxicating sensation of making out with the assassin was making her stomach cramp giddily with butterflies. It felt like an instant relief to be with Reno like this again, a drug with an immediate kick but it still wasn't enough to satisfy the physical urge she had to be closer to him. Leaving one hand up on his neck that moved to clench lightly through the back of his softly spiked hair, Jessie took her other arm and slipped it inside of his always lazily unbuttoned jacket to hook around his waist while they kissed unendingly. She wanted to tell him, to scream it to him and show him how he made her feel. To prove to him that this was what she wanted and make him aware of just how much he had been filling her thoughts night and day for weeks. With mouth moving unthinkingly over and between the powerful rhythm of his, Jessie looked him straight in his delicious sea green eyes the entire time they kissed and it was making her heart pound fiercely that he was looking straight back into hers while she moved in whatever way felt natural.

"Ya' couldn't just walk away baby?" he teased against her lips while they caught their breath between kisses, scattering Jessie's shattered resolve even further as the deep rumble of his chest tremored pleasurably through her small frame.

Every time tonight that he had called her 'baby' she had been powerless to resist biting her lower lip, so now it was no surprise that his seductive goading was making her bite lightly down on his in an aggression that only he seemed to provoke out of her.

"Fuck the Turks and fuck AVALANCHE remember" she pushed back, pinching the front of his shirt as she closed her mouth on his again with even more enthusiasm for countless blissful minutes before breaking away to grab Reno's hand and look around.

Despite her brave claim that she didn't care anymore, she still didn't want to get caught by a probably patrolling the streets Tifa or any other member of AVALANCHE who might be out looking for her because she hadn't returned at the agreed upon time yet. An expectation that Jessie had given up on meeting well over two hours ago.

Taking her professional enemy by the hand she pulled Reno into the entrance of a dark side-road that they were stood near to and once they were out of sight she offered her mouth back up to him. He accepted and as if he had read her mind on what she wanted next, he placed her back against the wall, took both of her wrists in one hand and pinned them overhead. It was exactly what she wanted, to feel him in charge again, to be in that position where he could do whatever he wanted with her because for Jessie, there was something about feeling controlled by the red-head Turk that made her dizzy with lust.

With her body heating up at a thousand degrees a second and when exchanging mouths could no longer satisfy the desire between them, Reno started kissing at her neck, sending her hormones into immediate overdrive and making her heave. Drowning in the delicious sensation Jessie hugged both of her arms around his head as he buried his silky smooth face into the side of her throat, clutching onto the motorcycle goggles at his fringe.

"Tell me when it's enough baby"

Jessie made a sound in her throat that sounded something close to acknowledgement as his hands curved up from her hips and she let herself be taken in by the satisfying contact. She didn't think that with Reno it could ever be enough and as his hands continued up and pushed at the underside of her rapidly rising and falling breasts to meet what exposed cleavage she had with his mouth, that opinion still didn't change. Every touch from him felt expert and incredible, escalating the tension in her body until Jessie wanted to moan from it but she felt too embarrassed to do so. It made her feel bashful that she was heating up this much from simple over the clothes foreplay alone but knew if he kept this up for much longer, it wouldn't be long before he enticed the sound out of her that she was fighting to keep down. She had never experienced anything like this before, even during their last encounter at the mythril mines. Sure it had felt above satisfying and beyond exhilarating back then but it was nothing compared to how her body was reacting to him now. She had seen a whole new side to Reno tonight, a side she not only liked but adored to be around and it was as if having a stronger emotional attraction to the Turk was now amplifying the physical one tenfold. Arching up the wall she let him slide his hands around the back of her bare legs to lift her and while he held her up effortlessly, Jessie wrapped her legs around his midriff, no longer caring about the decency of her dress as she buried her hips against him.

"Do you have a room?" she breathily groaned, digging her fingers into the back of his shoulder blades as he continued toying with her in places she had never had the pleasure of being touched previously.

Reno grunted his yes and was back to kissing her lips, once again knowing precisely what she wanted and never leaving any part of her feeling neglected which made it nerve wrackingly clear to Jessie that he knew exactly what he was doing and was well experienced. A surge of scared-excited nerves of what they were going to do... of what she wanted to do flooded Jessie's burning body and just when it seemed like Reno was about to put her down so they could leave together, he stopped, pushed closer against her body and tensed.

"... huh?... Reno?... what is it?"

"Shhh, keep your eyes on me"

Jessie did so, becoming immediately alert as the tone of his deathly quiet voice and the serious look on his face told her he wasn't joking and something was wrong. Not taking her eyes off him, Reno slowly started kissing her again and she kissed him back in an almost robotic like fashion as if they were simply going through the motions while she watched him listening out intently. She tried listening to, but above the sound of her erratically beating heart and their combined deeper breathing she couldn't hear a thing.

And then she saw it, a flicker across his face that made her realize they were not alone and were being watched. Taking a deep breath close against his mouth and resisting the urge to look, she felt his hand travel up her dress and felt him gently usher the words "trust me" to her lips.

Jessie nodded and Reno's hand continued further up into her dress, brushing all the way up her leg and making her swallow hard as she felt him undo the leather belt at the top of her thigh and slip her concealed electro-mag rod discreetly out to press it into her hands that she placed behind her back. Casting her one last serious look he set her down gently on her own two feet then turned his head slowly towards the end of the alleyway that was concealed in a pitch black veil.

With casual idol steps Reno strut a few paces towards the darkness, smartening his outfit or more accurately, messing it up to just the way he liked it.

"Whoever the fuck you jerk offs all are, you'd better have a real good fuckin' reason for bein' over there"

Jessie nervously gripped her electro-mag, straining to see who was out there and then shrank in alarm as a big group of sinister looking men stepped out of the shadows on one side of the alleyway, punching Jessie's lungs with icy dread when she saw that they were all carrying weapons.

"Ahh Corel prison rats, so I'm guessin' this ain't about the arcade window yo?" Reno sniggered without the faintest sign of fear. "Now sumin' tells me you fella's didn't all win the Chocobo races to be allowed up here. If I were you, I'd take the chance to run while you have it"

Among the group of dirty looking criminals, a tall dark man with one disturbingly clouded over eye stepped forward carrying a crowbar and Jessie backed away frightened, tugging fearfully at her dress to try and cover herself up as much as possible as a number of the men leered at her with dangerously perverted stares.

"Hey honey! Don't stop on our account!"

"Fancy gettin' it on wiv' a bigger man now ya' all warmed up princess!?"

"Look at tha' tits on her!"

"They're so hot when their young, reckon she's even legal?"

"I hope not", "Not that tha' would matter"

They all started laughing.

"Next cunt who talks or looks at the girl again won't be leavin' this alley"

Reno sounded severely pissed off and though the creeps didn't back down, none of them were daring to speak or stare at her anymore.

"Hey! Ya' ain't in any position ta' be makin' threats asshole"

Jessie heard the knuckles on Reno's hands crack and knew this was not going to end well. But why? What did these men even want? Money? Just her!? If so she was in some serious trouble.

"If even one brain cell exists in that fuck ugly head'a yours, you would walk away now because pal… you really don't know who ya' messin' with here"

"Shut it Turk! We know exactly who ya' are. Now you an' ya' bitch are comin' with us!"

Reno started inhaling deeply and though she couldn't see his face, the anxious faces of the other ten or so men told her that the insult hadn't gone down too well with him.

"Jess, go the other way. Now"

Jessie had no intention of leaving Reno but still she quickly looked behind her towards their only other hope of escape and choked when she saw just as big and angry a looking group of armed men waiting at the other side. This was no random attack.

"Uhh Reno…"

He looked around briefly and his pupils dilated, then Reno backed up to place her protectively close behind him.

"See, ya' outnumbered Turk, now come quietly and we promise we'll be extra gentle with the lady"

"Hey fuck face, you wanna try bein' a little less prison scum cliche? Now whatever ya' problem is, we can scrap this out as much as you want… but the girl walks"

"Reno no!"

He cast her a 'this-is-not-up-for-discussion' glance.

"Awww hear tha' lads? The Turk wants ta' be a hero, isn't tha' sweet?"

"Makes me 'art wanna bleed!" another man holding a scarily big knife parroted back making them all snigger revoltingly.

"Well as admirable as tha' is Romeo, it's actually the girl we came here for"

Reno's hand tightened around her wrist and the other stroked at her other hand to check she was still holding the electro-mag rod and to tell her to be ready.

"What do you want me for!?" Jessie mustered the courage to bark back making the man's single eye narrow in on her.

"The boss has been following you and ya' little AVALANCHE friends since ya' came into Corel. It seems he don't much like one'a ya pals and you're gonna be tha' bait that brings 'em to us. Now I will admit, sadly he did say we had to bring ya' alive..."

The whole gang started boo'ing.

"… but he din't say shit 'bout bein' unharmed!"

Now they all started cheering and Jessie gulped but didn't cower away, she had become stronger than that.

"And what if I say ya' can't take her?" Reno challenged in her defense making them all go quiet again.

"Then this is gonna become rather unpleasant an' we'll take her anyway"

"Oh really… and just how willin' are ya' to die tryin'?" Reno's eyes flashed a deeper shade of venom as he stepped up to the one working eyed man who courageously squared back up to the Turk

"Quit the tough guy act punk, ya' can't take us all on"

The man made to shove Reno but in one deadly and effortless movement the Turk dodged, locked the leaders arm under his and Jessie's stomach turned violently when a loud snap cracked through the alleyway, followed by the man's painfully hysterical screaming as his arm was broken in half.

"You really don't have any idea who you are fuckin' with!" Reno bellowed in the man's face and with the arm he had intentionally kept free, he pulled his own electro-mag rod from the inside of his jacket, flicked it open and buried the vicious crackling sparks into the crook of the shrieking man's neck.

Jessie quickly swung her own version of the weapon from behind her back and as the lead Corel prisoner was thrown spasming across the ground, the rest of the gang came at them from both ends.

Both Jessie and Reno took up similar fighting stances and when the first two aggressors to get to them were swiftly dealt with by a throat closing punch to the jugular and a thousand volts to the groin, she could immediately see that Reno was not the kind who played pretty or nice. Watching the Turk in action for too long, the red-head engineer was painfully punished with an agonizing whip across her bare legs from a heavy chain that was swung at her from behind. The lash stung like hell and nearly brought Jessie to her knees as the corner of her eyes pricked with tears, knowing that was going to become a horrific bruise come tomorrow. Clenching her teeth angrily Jessie spun around and ducked as the same guy tried to whip her across the face. Hand touching the recognition sensor on her rod it sparked to life and she jammed the instrument into the foul looking guys chest in fury, vaulting him away inanimately upon contact.

Using what fighting skills traveling with AVALANCHE had taught her, when the next attack came she had to sidestep a punch from a man who had crudely attached razors to metal knuckle rings. The evade was clunky in the cursed heels she swore never to wear again but it did the job and when the next punch came flying in she had enough room to apply what Cissnei had taught her. Using the man's own weight and momentum against him she moved, grappled and accelerated him headfirst into the brick wall behind her then zapped him in the back for good measure to ensure he wouldn't be getting back up anytime soon.

Moving straight into focusing and channelling the fire materia she had crafted into the mag-rod, Jessie didn't waste any time in preparing for the next attack. The green materia glowed to life and when she turned, a man swinging a bat her way was ready to receive the scorching wave of heat that sent him running in the other direction yelping with second degree burns.

With three down she prepared for a fourth but a loud bang went off and in that moment of dread Jessie's first instinct was to look to Reno and was relieved to see he hadn't been shot. The red-head male was on the armed man in deadly efficiency, disarming the thug of his gun and then sent him packing with a kick and a blunt swing of his rod to join the large pile of bleeding and unconscious men that the Turk had created.

Seeing that Reno was taking out their allies at twice the speed Jessie was, the prisoners focused their efforts on overwhelming him so Jessie used another piece of technology she had been working on and set the electro-mag to a very different kind of setting all together. If anyone knew just how many countless night-time hours she had spent working on this particular invention they would either laugh at her or be impressed. Then as the chamber charged with a heavy buzz and unloaded a stream of crackling airborne electric that buried another attacker just as he was about to hit Reno, she got her answer when the man looked over at her impressed. Essentially wielding a bolt of thunder certainly felt awesome but not nearly as nice as seeing Reno's approval and she smiled back at him as they made eye contact for the briefest of moments.

"Jessie!"

Getting stupidly distracted again, suddenly the roots of her hair were spitefully pulled back and the eighteen-year old girl yelped as she was grabbed from behind, locked into a lung crushing grip and the sharp edge of some type of blade she couldn't see was put to her throat ready to slice.

"Drop the electric thingy's or I cut her!"

Reno paused in his advance to help her and everything froze, time standing still as nobody moved.

"I said drop 'em!"

Jessie couldn't help yelling out in pain as the man holding her hostage pulled her hair even harder and her weapon slipped from her fingers.

Reno snarled, encircled by the seven or so prisoners who remained and were aggressively pacing around him waiting to pounce. She could see his mind working on a strategy to get out of this but then when Jessie hissed as the knife at her neck drew blood, his eyes turned petrified and he stood upright and started backing down.

"Ok, ok!"

He held his electro-mag up in the air.

"Toss it" her captor demanded.

Reno growled angrily then looked directly at one of the nearby attackers and threw the rod at him.

"You! keep'a hold'a this, I'll be expectin' it back after I kill ya'"

"Now on ya' knees!"

"Reno I'm sorry!" Jessie cried as he slowly got down on his knees. It was all her fault for getting so stupidly caught off guard and not defending herself.

"Ya' did good doll, don't worry ya' hear, I'mma come get you baby… Any of you lay a finger or do anythin' to her an' I swear to fuckin' god, I'll do more than just kill you"

With that final warning and as tears rolled from Jessie's eyes, Reno was finally down on the ground and they rushed in to attack him, kicking and punching him as hard as they could over and over again in hateful revenge.

"NO! STOP! DON'T HURT HIM! RENO STOP FIGHTING!"

"Shut it will ya'!"

The back of Jessie's legs had a boot planted into them and she was forced down onto her knees, watching and screaming as they beat Reno viciously unconscious.

"STOP! LET HIM GO! STOP HITTING HIM!"

"Hey! Get this one out too! She's doin' ma' head in!" the harsh man restraining her called out to one of his friends.

"Please! I'll go wherever you want just please! Please don't kill him! If you do I won't tell you anything!"

Jessie panicked as the man who had been called to looked over at her and then went to take a bottle from a bag, unscrew the cap and spill some of its contents onto a rag and approach her.

"JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT! WHO IS YOUR BOSS!? WHERE ARE YOU TAKING US!? WAIT STOP! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?"

The dust and dirt covered man carrying the cloth knelt down on one knee and stared at her in malevolent amusement.

"Where we're takin' you girly, you might not wanna keep askin' so many questions, your tongue won't last very long in ya' head if ya' do that"

He chuckled in enjoyment from her reaction and then his hand shot out in a flash and slapped the rag over her nose and mouth. The chemical sting was instant, hurting so bad that she tried to recoil but her head was being held and she had nowhere to escape.

Soon after came the choking, then the dizziness and then everything quickly started to fade.

The last thing Jessie heard before the darkness took her completely, was one of the men towering over her speaking on what she guessed but couldn't know for sure was a PHS.

"We're on our way back. Tell Dyne we got 'em"


	38. Consequential separations

**Chapter 38 Part 1- Consequential separations**

"I knew it! I bloody knew it! I'm going to tear that Turk's throat out the next time I see him!"

"Teef calm down"

"NO ZACK! NO I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!"

Zack's mouth snapped shut.

"He's kidnapped her! Doing Gaia knows what to her! I knew it! I knew I shouldn't let her go! I knew!... I knew!... Oh they're probably hurting Jess right now!"

The rapidly pacing martial artist stopped burning holes into the hotel lobby carpet with her heavy combat boots and burst into tears on the spot.

"Hey hey hey, don't cry" Aerith hushed sympathetically, running over and wrapping her arms around the distraught fighter to hug her close. "That's my job remember. Come, you can't think like that, Jessie is just fine."

Tifa's hands holding onto the back of the flowers girls dress tightened, seeming to appreciate and gleam some comfort in Aerith's words.

"Yeah Pinko's totally right Tifa. Don't sweat it, they're date probably just went really really well and she's shacked up at his place as we speak."

Zack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, Yuffie had started so well, it was the first time he had ever heard the little ninja call Tifa by her real name instead of 'boobs'… then she had to go and say that.

"Shacked up?... with a...a... WE HAVE TO FIND HER NOW! RED! CAN'T YOU SMELL HER OUT OR SOMETHING!?"

Poor Red looked positively petrified with his ears and tail pinned down low and Zack couldn't blame him, hysterical angry woman even scared him and he was far more accustomed to the species.

"Uhhh... I uuuh... I'm sorry I cannot... you see there are too many human smells around and they are all overlapping..."

"THEN WHAT BLOODY GOOD ARE YOU!?" Tifa screeched throwing her arms in the air and storming a few paces away to face the light mahogany wall behind her.

The martial artist was breathing heavily and brushed a tired shaking hand through her hair while everything went silent, all of them watching her speechlessly.

"... I'm sorry Red" Tifa twirled around, tears falling even faster for what she had said. "I didn't mean that, I really really didn't, I'm sorry!"

She dashed over to kneel down and lay her hands and the side of her face against Red's neck in apology.

"It is quite alright. I understand that you have not had sleep that is sufficient for your kind to function well."

This gleamed a small but still sorrowful smile from Tifa.

"Thankyou... I just can't let anything happen to her... not her, not Jessie… this is the worst possible time that Kunsel and Cissnei could have left."

Zack had to nod to that, leaving with nothing more than a note and the key to a potentially planet destroying materia, it baffled him what 'important business' could be so urgent that they would leave like that.

"Well I think their total jerks for leaving! Not even a 'bye Yuff', or 'thanks for all you've done for us Yuff'… which is a lot by the way! Oooooh when they get back I'm gonna give them such a piece'a my mind!"

"I don't think they would leave if they didn't have a good reason to" Aerith interjected anxiously. "Plus it wasn't like either of them knew Jessie had gone missing."

"Have you tried calling them?" Tifa exhaled, rubbing her considerably dimmed eyes and standing up. "We could really use their help right now."

"I have. About four or five times each" Zack groaned, feeling the temples in his head throb from an oncoming headache. "They've both switched their PHS's off. We need to get…"

Zack was cut off when suddenly the large doors to the ghost hotel were thrown open with a crash making Zack flip around and nearly reach for his sword.

"WHAT YA' DAMN WELL MEAN ME GIRL JESS IS GONE!?"

Barret stomped in, covered in dirt and sweat with his heavy traveling pack slung across the opposite arm to the one with the prosthetic gun. He stormed over to them and soon the bag was thrown carelessly to the red carpeted floor.

"Barret!" , "B!"

Yuffie and Tifa called simultaneously, the latter of who ran over to the big man for her third much needed hug.

"They've got her Barret! They've got Jessie!" Tifa mourned while she struggled to even reach her arms halfway around the man's shoulders.

Barret returned the greeting then placed his hand on the martial artists arm to hold her out at arm's length and look at her.

"Who? Who's got Jessie? Tell me exactly wha' 'happened?"

"The Turks. Reno. He kidnapped her! Kidnapped her while they were out on a..."

Tifa paused mid-sentence and Zack swallowed, this was not going to go down well.

"Out on'a wha'?"

Everyone fidgeted uncomfortably as Barret glared about until Yuffie took it upon herself to blurt everything out in one long breath.

"So as it turns out we actually found out about that black materia stuff from the Turkey's and not actually from Dio like boobs told you but you see they would only tell us if bright eye's who has now gone missing with Cissnei told them everything he knew about this giant meteor that was going to crash into the planet and squish us all in seven days" Yuffie sucked in more air. "But not just that the red-head one Reno who is actually kinda cute also said that Jessie had to go on a date with him so she did and that's why boobs lied to you cos' she figured you would probably flip out and now she's gone missing so it makes sense to assume the Turks have kidnapped her and you look really really angry so I'm just gonna go stand over here behind Zack."

The princess scuttled behind him and Zack looked away to stare at the ground and scratch the back of his head when Barret's indeed very angry eyes fixed themselves upon him.

"Ya' knew 'bout this!?"

Zack nodded.

"Ya' agreed ta' ship ma' girl off ta' Shinra?... to tha' fuckin' Turk punk for a piece'a shitty info!?"

Zack winced, he really had messed up big time.

"He said it was just gonna be a date, I used to know Reno... kinda, well more his sister... I didn't think that even he would stoop to such a cheap underhand tactic as this."

The big man looked around in disbelief, "Its'a Turk! Cheap an' underhand is their fuckin' company motto! Christ I'm gone fer two damn minutes an' ya'll lose ya' fuckin' minds."

Put like that Zack couldn't argue with him there.

"Ahh jeez I know... you're right, I screwed up."

"Hey come on, it wasn't anyone's fault" Aerith protested his comment, "we can't start blaming each other, not now, not with everything that is happening. We need to stick together and just focus on finding her."

"I may be able to help you with that."

Zack did a quick one-eighty on the spot in alarm, of all the voices that could have come from the doorway, he was expecting that one the least.

"What's a Turkey doing here!?" Yuffie cried.

Rude stepped one sleek black shoe in through the open entrance and while everyone became suspiciously alert at the appearance of the tall, dark and immaculately suited Turk, it was Tifa who reacted instantly and balled her gloved hand into a tight fist to storm at the intruder.

"Why you lowsy sons of bitches!"

The Turk casually straightened the front of his jacket with leather gloved hands of his own and then rolled out his neck in relaxed ease as the female martial artist approached him angrily.

"Where have you taken her!?"

Tifa didn't wait for a response and threw a heavy punch straight for Rude's shades which the man skilfully caught, turned in one smooth movement and twisted the martial artists arm behind her back. Swinging her boot behind her Tifa kicked out the side of the man's ankle and drop twisted out of his hold, taking care to avoid breaking her own arm. Flipping onto her feet she took in a quick sharp breath, braced herself and turned back in to lay a string of punches at him with only a small hit to the stomach landing against the well trained Turk. It was clear that Tifa was tired, she hadn't slept in over sixty hours and she was emotional, committing to each blow with too much force which Rude was tactfully deflecting but Zack could also see he was not taking full advantage of.

They spared away with AVALANCHE watching on, unsure about how to intervene between two hand to hand fighters and while they were a pretty equal match, Tifa's exhaustion was getting to her and soon her arms were locked up by the Turk and Rude drove his shoulder into her center of gravity. The female fighter was thrown backwards and Tifa landed on her back with a forceful thump making Red growl and Yuffie raise her four-point Shuriken, both ready to attack but Zack put his hand up to stop them from intervening. It was clear the Turk was alone and while he was using real effort to fend Tifa off, he was also passing up every opportunity to attack her back. Something else was going on here.

Zack walked forward and the dark-haired female hopped to her feet again.

"Tell me where she is you bastard! Tell me right now!"

Tifa tried to sprint in to attack again but Zack quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, firmly holding her back and making her turn to him, her dark brown eyes swirling with confusion.

"No more Teef" Zack commented as she looked at him in shock but before she could object he turned his attention over to the Turk, "you don't have her do you?"

Rude barely shook his head but it moved just enough for him to see the man's answer.

"But you know where she is?"

He nodded.

"They're down below. Corel prison. Reno and that girl of yours Jessie."

Tifa growled, clearly mistrusting the statement outright and not liking the young engineers name being used by the assassin.

"Hey! D'ya think we were born yesta'day foo'!? I'll tear ya'..."

"How do you know this?" Zack forcefully interrupted much to Barret's aggravation, feeling his stomach twist with terror at the mention of that god forsaken place.

Rude fixed his shades, something he seemed to do a lot even though they never seemed to come off center, "A Turk can always track another Turk" came the simple unenlightening answer.

"Don't tell me you're believing this!" Tifa looked at him wide-eyed.

"If he's right and she's in the desert prison then this is serious."

"It's serious anyway!"

"No Teef, not like this, a woman in a place like that is something you really don't want to imagine. They'll do things to her that would make the Turks seem… kind."

Aerith gasped behind him and Tifa's mouth opened in wordless horror as she caught his meaning. Zack hadn't wanted to scare the women and truth be told he was terrified himself, but they needed to know the truth.

Red was next to speak, directing his attention to Rude.

"Excuse me, but if we are to trust what you say, you must first explain why it is that you are telling us all this."

Rude didn't respond at first but then pointed to Barret who took a step back in surprise, "You. Someone has a target on your head. The girl is simply a way to force you out."

The Turk folded his arms and scanned over the group until his gaze was looking back in Barret's general direction.

"My interests are for Reno alone and taking the bait is the only way of finding them in time, that means you're coming with me."

"Ta' hell I am!" Barret roared.

"They have no need to keep him alive for long, he has less than a day. So I am afraid you do."

Rude spoke in a threatening 'i'll drag you there if I have to' tone and the leather of the Turks gloves audibly strained as they were stretched into discreet fists but Barret didn't care.

"So wha'cha sayin' is, if I just sit back on me ass, I have'a chance ta' let a Turk die? Well shit that ain't any kinda choice."

Barret lazily threw himself into a nearby lobby chair and folded his arm and gunarm behind his head, smirking mockingly at the Turk to express his obvious hatred for the fraternity.

Rude simply shrugged and walked off towards the door, "Fine. Far worse things will have happened to the girl by then."

The smile was wiped off Barret's face.

"WAIT! Ok wait!" Aerith called and Rude stopped. "What do these men want? What do they want Barret for?"

Those were good questions, but Zack knew the Turk wasn't going to answer them in full. After all, if Rude relinquished everything he knew, what bargaining chip did he have left to force them into saving not just Jessie's life but his partner's life as well?

The Turk turned back to them.

"I caught one of them while they were making their way back down to the prison", Rude's hand disappeared into the side of his black jacket to retrieve a brown cloth which he started to unwrap. "He told me everything I need to know. Then tried to get brave."

He threw the item he had unpackaged to the ground in front of Zack's feet. It was a thin but six inch long switch knife that was still faintly damp with the sticky layer of blood that was coating it.

"I'm done talking about this, him and one other come with me. Now."

"One other!? Listen 'ere foo', we come as a team ya' hear!"

"B he's right" Zack jumped in, "we can't be taking a group this big along, not down there."

Corel prison was not the kind of place where it was a case of 'the more the merrier', most who went there never resurfaced from that cess pit and that meant that with each extra person they took along, the danger of one of them not returning only increased. Plus there was also the fact that there was no way in hell he was letting Tifa, Yuffie or Aerith anywhere near the kind of men that dwelled in the Corel desert prison.

Zack turned to Barret, "just me and you are going."

"HEY! I want to save Jess to ya know! She is MY wing-girl after all" Yuffie cried indignantly.

"She might be hurt and in need of healing, I think I should go" Aerith insisted, visibly upset.

Even Red had an objection to voice. "I could track her, the open area will be much more to my advantage. I do not wish to sit around up here while one of my ally's is in danger."

Zack didn't like doing this but he had to stand his ground on this one, "if you really see me as your leader, then you'll do as I say. Me and Barret only."

Barret nodded to this and the others, while they still looked extremely unhappy about it, they didn't argue about it any further, that is except for Tifa but Zack knew there was no chance he was stopping that one. The fiercely and stubbornly protective women was going to come along whether he said so or not and he knew it.

"You already know how I feel about having you as my leader Zack, but you're not using that card on me."

Tifa grabbed her pack off the floor where it was piled with everyone else's and marched adamantly towards the door to leave, only stopping briefly as she was about to pass Rude. "The three of us are coming. Deal with it Turk."

She took off out the door and Rude looked around then shrugged, the faintest hint of a grin flickering at the corner of his mouth as even he knew there was no way to dissuade one of their most skilled fighters from going.

Zack and Barret looked at each other and shrugged as well then went to get their packs. It seemed nothing was going to stop that mother hen from getting one of her chicks back.

* * *

**Chapter 38 Part 2- Consequential separations**

The first two things that crossed Jessie's mind when she came to, was how painfully sore her throat felt and how stiflingly hot it was, a heat that made the very act of breathing feel like a marathon effort. Beads of sweat poured from her face to hit the dusty and sandy ground her drearily opening eyes were staring down at. Consciousness edging its way in slowly, more pain and discomfort began to show itself, most potently of which were her fiercely burning wrists which she now realized were tied tightly behind her back with rope to some kind of beam or pole, forcing her to remain upright on painfully bruised knees.

It was at this point that the panic would have set in but the overwhelming heat made something as energetic as panicking far too much effort to actually do so she simply groaned.

Jessie looked down at herself groggily, thankful and relieved to see that she still had her red dress on her and it was still intact. Gaia she hoped Reno liked this dress... and those kisses and touches earlier, those were amaz... god what was she thinking! The delirious heat was really starting to get to her, making her head feel light and fuzzy.

Then it hit Jessie like a ton of bricks and sparked a jolting movement in her limbs.

_RENO!_

Sobering up Jessie looked frantically around at her surroundings, she was in some kind of large dirty metal container that was being poorly illuminated by bright rays of hot sun that pierced through rusted holes in the walls. It was essentially a huge tin can in the middle of a dessert environment, that would explain the heat.

Jessie's breathing was coming in short ragged pants now, it was so so hot! So hot she was positive that if whoever her mysterious were captors didn't let out of here in the next few hours she was sure to die or have some kind of heat stroke. Now panicking wasn't quite the impossible task she had thought it was a moment ago and the eighteen-year old girl's breathing started getting out of control which only made matters worse. Jessie tried to focus on breathing and keeping a level head to calm down and stop herself from burning up, it was then that hear ears picked up that it wasn't just her breathing she could hear that was struggling to regulate and her attention was drawn to the person to the left of her.

It cut Jessie deep and words could not express just how relieved she felt to see it was Reno, but just like her he was tied up a few feet away in the same upright position except he was still out of it. Jessie was also relieved to see his face was only covered in the occasional bruise or cut but nothing too extreme which was incredible considering how viciously they had tried to beat him. While it was surprising it also made her feel sad that he was able to take such a beating so well, just how much did one have to go through in his life to acquire such a skill?

"Reno... Reno wake up" she croaked thirstily, grimacing when using her voice for the first time made her throat sting horrendously.

The gorgeously attractive and soft-skinned male didn't respond and remained slumped forward in his unconscious position, the bangs of his shock red hair hanging damply in front of his face.

"Reno please!... Get up!... Talk to me!" she cried weakly again, this time with more tearful desperation.

He still didn't respond and the teenage engineer started to shake, she was scared.

"Anyone ever tell ya' you got a pretty voice?"

"Reno!" she never felt more relieved to hear another person's voice in her life. "Reno are you hurt!? Talk to..."

"Ya' know baby... for a second back there… it almost sounded like ya' really cared."

Jessie's short breathless panting stopped for a moment and her sweat soaked chest paused in its strenuous rapid movements as his comment made her lungs tighten.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I expect this is tha' part where ya' regrettin' that kiss jus' like the time before and we go back to bein' enemies."

It took great effort but she continued to stare at Reno sidelong and although he talked he still hadn't opened his eyes.

"Reno... look at me."

"Nah it's cool yo, I get it, I'mma good for nothin' Turk scum that you'd rather..."

"Baby look at me."

Now it was Reno's turn to stop heaving for air and this time he did open his eyes, vivid sea green meeting with light hazelnut brown.

"I do care... and I… I don't regret it. I don't regret the kiss and I don't regret any of those moments or the date we went on."

Even Jessie's head was buzzing with the revelation that what she was saying was genuine and true.

"I… don't regret the way you make me feel."

He continued to hold her gaze for a length of time, taking in every word she spoke and drawing her in with such an indescribable stare that Jessie wished now more than ever she wasn't bound to this post.

"That's all I needed to know yo."

Suddenly Reno started shifting and tugging at the bonds holding his arms captive behind his back.

"What are you doing?"

"Gettin' us..." he strained with effort, "…the fuck outta here."

"I don't think we can… gosh it's so hot."

Her defender continued thrashing and twisting to no avail.

"Stop, you're going to burn up if you carry on" Jessie heaved tiredly just watching him.

He gave it five more minutes of intense effort then relinquished breathlessly making her spirit sink.

"Reno... I'm sorry... the only reason you're here is because of me."

"What… you… talkin'… 'bout?"

"Like those guys said, it's me they want, it's me they're after. You didn't need to end up here at all, you could have left me but you didn't" she strained her neck around to look at him again. "Thankyou… I'd be so scared if you wasn't here."

"Hey cut the give up talk doll, nothin's gonna happen to ya' ok? These jackasses are all mouth an' no action. Trust me."

Jessie knew he was bluffing to try and give her false comfort but she nodded anyway and decided to pull herself together and tug at her own bonds to test the strength of them out.

"Besides, I've been in thousands'a tighter situations than this, this is a walk in the park."

"Now… is not the time to joke" she clenched through grit teeth, the skin on her wrists feeling red raw.

"I wasn't " he replied evenly.

Suddenly there was a loud clang of metal on the front of the container that unnerved her and made the profusely sweating girl flinch and cease her attempts at escaping her bonds. Shortly after the door to the container was pulled open, spilling a wall of scorching bright light into the make-shift prison that blinded her and Reno painfully. When the door was closed again Jessie blinked numerous times, seeing dizzying stars but then her vision focused to see that a man had entered into the dirty rust weathered room with them.

"Looks like this so called 'boss' of theirs has finally showed up. Get ready for the little bitches tough guy act" Reno called out mockingly.

Jessie's face zoned out in shock at the sight of the medium height, strongly built man with lifeless steely eyes, cast a tired unamused glance at Reno as he limped over towards a pile of rubbish that was stacked in the far corner. The stunned and slightly heat delirious engineer blinked multiple times again to see if she was seeing this right or whether the man was just holding a gun in a strange way she wasn't quite seeing right. No, she was definitely seeing this right, this man had a gun for an arm! A gun where his arm should be! He had a gunarm! Exactly like Barret's except this guy had attached a longer assault rifle to his as opposed to the thick heavy machine gun her AVALANCHE father used.

"Where did you get that!?"

The man paid her no notice and grabbed a crate from the pile of junk with his real hand then limped back over slowly with a haunted look about him that made him seem more like a ghost than a man. He set the box down a way away in front of them and sat down, resting his weapon against the end of his knee while Jessie wracked her brain for the name of the doctor Barret had said had created his prosthetic.

"Shalua Rui! Did she give that to you!?"

The weathered and worn shell of a man flicked his bored glance in her direction and then his gun making Jessie press her back up against the pole behind her in fear.

"Hey! You wanna point that thing anywhere slick you point it over here ya' hear! I'm the one who's gonna be killin' you and ya' pals before dinner tonight, not her!"

The gun pivoted on the man's knee and switched targets to the Turk and a loud bang went off.

"RENO!"

Reno didn't make any noise as he looked down at the ground and bit back the pain with bared teeth as a bullet sunk itself into his left shoulder. Then sucking in a slow hissing intake of air the red-haired male looked up and smirked.

"Come on you dick head, been shot there twice already, at least hit me somewhere original."

The gun pivoted again.

"NO DON'T! STOP! RENO STOP TALKING! JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!?" Jessie pleaded in fright.

"What I want" The gunarm turned to her and fired a shot so close to her face she could feel the wind as it splintered into the wood behind her making Jessie yelp in terror. "Is to watch you die. And him die. To watch everyone in this prison and in that golden saucer die. To watch entire towns and cities of people die. But most of all… most of all I want to watch Barret Wallace die."

"And I want to watch you die but you don't see me fuckin' crying 'bout it!" Reno spat, his shoulder bleeding heavily.

"Wait... Barret?... Why do you want to watch Barret die!? Who are you!?"

The man used his real hand to take something out of his pocket which Jessie soon recognized was her own PHS, he flicked around with it for a bit and then turned to show her that it was dialing Barret's new number since his old one had been lost to the Midgar Zolom. Putting it on loud speaker he tossed the phone down to Jessie's knees.

"Tell him you're in Corel prison and he has one hour to get here before I start using what he gave me to better use", the man held up his gunarm. "Tell him Dyne called. Tell him I said that one of us are going to be visiting our wives today."

* * *

**Chapter 38 Part 3- Consequential separations**

Diving through the warm grass kissed by the hot midday sun, she dodged the horn attack of an adult Bagnadrana that charged at her with the deadly curved spike. Rolling straight up onto her haunches she assessed her targets next move from her crouched position then sprung high into the air and twisted herself around the spew of poison breath it sent her way while launching Rekka at the height of her jump towards the giant six legged reptilian creature. The spinning blades sang through the air and cut deep along the Bagnadrana's front chest plate causing the beast to screech wildly in its usual deep hissing and venomous tone. Landing effortlessly on her feet Cissnei charged in, with Rekka returning to her outstretched hand mid sprint to slash away at the monster in dangerously close quarters to try and make the fight more challenging for herself. Claws, fangs and spikes lunged for her but the attacks were so annoyingly slow from the bleeding creature that she could have dodged them blindfolded. It infuriated her and with one simple swing she caught the creatures throat on the first attack and a torrent of blood shot out, barely missing her and causing the monster to keel over and join its four other fallen comrades.

Cissnei bared her teeth as it fell lifelessly at her feet while pushing a lock of hot hair from the side of her face and breathing heavily but not nearly as heavily as she would have liked. Looking down at her fallen prey she was fuming, an anger that escalated inside of her until Cissnei saw red. Raising Rekka above her head she hacked down at its corpse angrily, imbedding the blade into the monsters turquoise hide as hard as she could but it wasn't enough so she did it again… and again and again and again. Cissnei slashed away over and over in fury and frustration at the inanimate corpse, angry that it had fallen so easily and that the feeling she was trying to run away from was beginning to return again.

It was the feeling of guilt... of pain, of hurt. It was the feeling of shame that she had spent the best part of half a day either crying or desperately searching for bloodthirsty fights with vicious monsters to take her mind off of him. Off of that handsome SOLDIER with gorgeous glowing multi-colored eyes who she had become so deeply infatuated with that everything she had done or felt before him now seemed meaningless and empty.

It was the feeling of her heart-breaking that she had upped and left Kunsel in the dark early hours of this morning after watching him sleep and whispering her goodbye onto deaf ears. It was the feeling of self-loathing that she had left him and all her friends at a time of crisis when they had just learned about meteor and the black materia and needed to figure out how to stop Sephiroth, Genesis and Jenova from trying to destroy the planet. Cissnei wanted to tell herself that they would manage fine without her and that where she was going she would be of more use to them and find more answers, but despite that she still couldn't shake this crushing feeling of grief from her heart.

So many times she had been tempted to go back already, so many times she had reached for her switched off PHS and thought about ringing him but whenever that temptation came or the tears started to form in her aching amber eyes, she scouted out another fight or wandered purposefully into another den of wild monsters. She couldn't go back, not after what Hojo had told her, not after everything her now dead family had gone through for this. No, something like this simply couldn't wait.

Buried in her thoughts and turmoil she continued hacking away at the dead Bagnadrana until only a DNA test would be capable of verifying that that was in fact what the creature had once been. The brutal act made her rivering eyes flow with tears even faster, which in turn made her hack away faster but by this point she was on her knees and cutting chunks out of nothing more than blood soaked earth and soil in a frenzy.

"I think it's dead now Rekka."

Hearing that voice Cissnei flew back onto her rear so hard that her weapon went flying out of her hand into the air to land out in the tall grass behind her.

"KUNSEL!?"

She couldn't believe what she was seeing, she could not believe it was him but there he really was, standing in the open field with his traveling pack on his back, his Claymore at his hip and the north Corel mountains she had passed through on the backdrop behind him. Glued firmly to the ground on her backside staring up at him, Cissnei was inhaling and exhaling deeply from her flip out on the Bagnadrana, wondering if she had worked herself up into such a hysteria that she was now hallucinating the SOLDIER into existence.

With his head tilted to the side, Kunsel observed her back wordlessly with a compassionate expression that made Cissnei want to hide, knowing she must look a right state with puffy red eyes and hands that were covered up to the elbows in blood, but she couldn't bring herself to take her shocked eyes off of his. He slung his pack off his shoulder to the floor then rummaged around inside of it and took out a water bottle. Then he looked at her again and as he high stepped through the longish grass towards her, she didn't know what he was going to do but the female Turk's emotions started dancing around turbulently. Seeing him here she wanted to cry again, she wanted to laugh and scream angrily at him for following her, she wanted to get up off the floor and demand to know what he was doing here and order him to leave and yet at the same time she wanted to kiss him and say she was sorry, sorry for leaving him and tell him how incredibly relieved she felt to see him again.

Most of all the emotions Cissnei felt however, the shame she had for herself was the strongest of them all. She felt embarrassed for her actions, not just for her outburst on the Bagnadrana but for the way she had left and now she couldn't look at him anymore and had to turn her eyes away to look down at the ground beside her. She had made him a promise, a promise she would never leave again that she had purposely and intentionally broken. He had every right to be mad at her for that.

"I'm sorry Kunsel... I'm so sorry... I just want you to believe me that leaving like that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do... and breaking that..." her voice was cracking up terribly. "... and breaking that promise I made you... it really hurt me to do that."

Cissnei pinched her eyes shut and sobbed as Kunsel's shadow washed over her but she opened them again when he knelt down in front of her to take her blood covered hands in his, a deed which made her brain fade down to a slow motion trot and her heart sped up to a fast gallop.

"Remember what I said about apologies."

He undid the cap of his bottle and tenderly turning her hands he started pouring water over them, gently washing the blood away from halfway up her arms and working all the way down to the tips of her fingers. The Turk melted from the action, whoever said diamonds were the way to a woman's heart were wrong because it was this right here, nothing could compare to this. She watched his affection closely and as he cleaned the guilt off of her hands she could physically feel herself falling further in love with the man and she was tempted to go hunt another Bagnadrana just so he didn't have to stop. It felt like the best message ever, having his fingers and thumb rolling and rubbing over and between hers as luke-warm water ran over both their hands, water that would be unpleasant for drinking but right now was feeling like heaven.

The last trace of blood was cleaned away and she lifted her fuzzy water-logged vision to his face, unable to understand why he looked at her with no trace of hate or even disappointment. Why wasn't he angry at her? Why was he still looking at her that way? What had she ever done in her sinful life to deserve affection this pure and unconditional?

Kunsel let go of her palms and lifted both of his warm damp hands to place them to her cheeks as they remained knelt down in front of one another, brushing his thumbs across her face in such a delicate way it made her eyelashes flutter.

"Do I have blood on my face?" she shuddered pleasantly.

Kunsel shook his head lightly and smiled, "No."

That made her shuddering worse... or better, she wasn't sure. Gaia she just needed to...

"JOS KISS HIM ALREADY LAS! I cannay take it anymoor!"

Cissnei and Kunsel's expressions dropped and they turned simultaneously to see Cait Sith poking out of the top of Kunsel's bag, his little hand clutched emotionally to his chest while he sniffed and wiped at his eye with the other. It well and truly killed the moment.

"Damn it Cait!" Kunsel cursed and threw the nearly empty bottle of water which hit the cat and sent him tumbling out of the pack with an 'ooph'.

"You brought the cat along?" Cissnei raised her brow a few inches from his and the SOLDIER shrugged sheepishly.

"What can I say, I liked Cait Sith."

"Cheers lad!" the feline machine called out from wherever it was he was sprawled unmoving in the grass.

"I said liked! LIKED!" Kunsel barked back, bitter for the interruption.

"Kunsel what are you doing here?"

He sighed and took her hands again, guiding Cissnei to her feet as they stood up.

"Look Ciss, you may have things that you're not ready to tell me or things you're not ready to share with me yet and that's fine. You may not want to tell me where it is you feel you have to go or what exactly this is you're running away to do. But whatever it is, I'm going with you, I'm going to be there for you whether you need my help or not. You saved my life once remember, now you have to give me the chance to save yours."

"But what about the others? They need you. They need your help to stop Sephiroth from getting the black materia."

"They'll cope for now, I've given them the runestone and told them everything they need to know. Plus I'd be no good to them if I stayed anyway, not all the while that I was thinking about you."

Cissnei could hardly breathe, even if she searched Gaia a thousand times over, could she possibly find a sweeter guy than this one? How could someone like him be interested in a person like her?

"But I... I... I don't even know if I'll even find what I'm looking for! It's still possible that Hojo might have been lying to me in that cellar and I'm wasting my time chasing shadows."

"Well then, there's only one way to find out" Kunsel affirmed and went over to retrieve his discarded bag.

"Don't you even want to know what it is or where I'm going?" Cissnei asked as Cait Sith hopped onto the SOLDIER's pack and together the pair marched on passed her.

"Nope. You'll tell me if and when you're ready."

Cissnei shook her head in disbelief, this man was willing to follow her halfway across the world blindly without even asking why or where they were going and it seemed that nothing she said or did was going to stop him. Left with no other choice Cissnei picked her own pack off the ground, moved to catch up to them and although she still had her doubts and reservations, she couldn't deny the feeling of joy and relief that was growing inside of her that Kunsel was coming along with her.

"Well just make sure your PHS is switched off" Cissnei remarked, trying to regain some of her usual composure. "You know Jessie, she'll track us down quicker than Red on a scent trail."

"Already one step ahead of you" Kunsel chirped, holding up his blank PHS as Cait Sith swiveled around to face her from where he was sat on top of the SOLDIER's pack.

"Ey Cissylas."

"... yes Cait?"

"Dannay s'pose it would make'a difference if I asked yer where we're goin'?"


	39. Unforeseen rescue

**Chapter 39 Part 1- Unforeseen rescue  
**

"Ya' stick close to me ya' hear?"

Tifa moved her head lightly to acknowledge Barret's concern, keeping her fists tight and her senses alert while from the corner of her eye the martial artist caught a glimpse of another group of men as they flit between a gap in the run down shanty houses off to her left. Word was being spread of their arrival and they were being watched and waited for as they walked into the lion's den.

"An' another thing, no matter how this all goes down, don't'cha turn ya' back on him", Barret inclined his hard eyes forward towards the back of Rude's head who was vigilantly taking point up ahead with Zack. "It ain't jus' this lot lookin' ta' stab us in tha' back tha' first chance they get"

Boots crunching against the scorching desert ground that was baked hard and trampled into something that resembled a town road, Tifa faltered in her step momentarily. Barret was intentionally avoiding having a conversation about the call they had received from Jessie moments ago, a call that had nearly brought Tifa to her knees in emotional relief to hear the girl's voice again but for Barret, the disturbing message the captive girl had left them had really hit him hard and it was clear he was trying to pretend otherwise. Of course her longest known friend always did try to disguise his troubles behind a mask of impassive gruffness, but she had known Barret long enough now to see through the act and to know that deep down within that shifting hulk of muscle and grit was actually one of the most compassionate and caring people Tifa had ever met.

When he got like this however she never usually tried to push him to talk, knowing that once he had made the stubborn decision to bottle everything up, no amount of talking was ever going to persuade him to open back up. It was something that always hurt Tifa and weighed heavy on her heart. Even when Biggs and Wedge had died, she had been unable to talk to him about it properly. Sure she had been able to cry on his shoulder until her lungs gave out but that wasn't talking, that was him giving her comfort, that was one-sided, that was still remaining shut out by one of the few people she had left in her life to call family. But not now, not this, this needed discussing because this was potentially Jessie's life on the line they were talking about.

"Barret... that call we got from..."

"Don't wanna talk 'bout it"

Tifa felt that old familiar pang of sadness twinge in her chest and clenched her fists. She had barely got a word in edgeways but she decided to pretend like he hadn't said anything and kept pushing.

"We need to know... I need to know why this friend of yours..."

"He ain't no damn friend'a mine, ya' can't be friends with someone's who's dead so jus' drop it Teef"

"Barret please!"

"No! Listen!... I dunno why they made Jessie mention that crap about Dyne but it was lies! He's dead ya' get it!? I watched him die wid' ma' own eyes... wid' ma' own hand that let him go...", Barret hung his head to look at the gun where his real arm used to be then swung it adamantly to his side. "Dyne would never do somethin' like this! Some scum bag knows 'bout ma' past an' is tryin' ta' play games is all, an' I'm gonna find out who"

Tifa started to feel her blood boil.

"And that's what you really believe!?"

"What? Ya' think I'mma start jokin' at a time like this!?"

"I don't know Barret! I don't have the slightest clue because even after all these years it seems that you still can't even talk to me!"

"The hell you sayin'!? I'm talkin' to ya' know ain't I!?"

"Don't patronize me B! You know exactly what I mean!"

"Guys, is this really the best time to be doing this?" Zack implored, looking back at them when Tifa's voice had escalated into a tearful screech.

"Ya' wanna preach 'bout talkin' Teef!? Ok then! How 'bout we start by talkin' 'bout how ya' lied ta' me and put us an' Jess in this whole damn mess ta' start with!?"

Tifa gasped in shock, "I… I can't believe you would say that!... YOU'RE A REAL…"

Tifa swallowed her next words before she said something she regretted, wiped her eyes and stormed away from the man, colliding into Zack's shoulder as she passed who tried to put an arm out to her but she shoved it away. She was furious.

"Where ya' goin' now?" Barret huffed after her.

"To take point with the Turk! I have a better chance of having a real conversation with him than you!"

No longer than a few seconds after she had barked heatedly at Barret and sulked away that the guilt immediately began to set in just like it always did. Was this her idea of being a supportive friend? Was this her way of trying to make herself into a person Barret felt he could talk to? And what right did she have to dictate the way in which others chose to cope with their emotions? Tifa cursed herself, this whole situation with Jessie was fraying her nerves terribly, putting her on edge and making her act like a person she didn't very much like.

Regretfully taking position at the front of the small group making its way through the filthy run down town, Tifa caught Rude's shaded gaze looking sidelong at her, probably because of the sarcastic comment she had made about him. Embarrassed she swung her long and loosely tied pony-tail over her shoulder to discreetly hide some of her face from view and looked away in the other direction to scan the area. The side roads and alleyways were slowly becoming more and more populated with Corel prisoners who were gathering into worryingly large packs that were no longer making any kind of effort to remain hidden.

Catching the eye of a number of them she was bombarded with winks, kisses and vulgar gestures that were mostly being made in the chest area. They were the kind of gestures she had spent most of her life dealing with so she was used to it, not that it made it any less repulsive to watch. It was at times like these she appreciated the good ones like Zack, Barret, Kunsel or her Cloud, without decent men like them she would probably have lost faith in the species a long time ago.

"Eyes up" Rude warned curtly from her left and Tifa looked ahead to see a pack of armed men approaching, one of whom was at the head of the group with his arm wrapped up in a dirty sling and had a creepy colorless white eye.

"Well would ya' look at that, the heroes actually made it", his working eye turned to Zack as he pulled up beside Tifa. "So this is the great general everyone keeps talkin' 'bout? Must say it ain't every day we get celebrities down 'ere"

Tifa narrowed her eyes as a ripple of uncertain laughs rolled through the prisoners who were closing in to surround them but were still remaining warily distant. It was clear that Zack's presence was making them anxious and that would prove very useful.

"So is it true? Ya' really kill as many SOLDIER's as they say ya' did at Condor?"

Zack took a confident step forward and a number of prisoners flinched making Tifa briefly smile, if only they knew what a scatter-brain softie the man really was.

"Depends…" Zack eyed the criminals firmly as he scanned his glowing eyes around each and every one of them, "… if the number you heard was four times as many and four-hunded times better trained than the number I see around me now, then the answer is yes"

Tifa could physically see Zack's exaggeration instil fear into the rabble, with even a few of them in the back rows cowardly slinking away. It filled her with confidence, Zack was using his rapidly growing reputation to full effect, a reputation born from the SOLDIER's former connection to Sephiroth and his dramatic appearance on every television in Gaia.

"Screw this!" Barret spat, "I didn't drag ma' ass down ta' this hot shit 'ole for a bunch'a small talk, now ya' punks 'ave got five seconds ta' show us where our girl is or I'mma start shootin' foo's up in this place!"

Barret crashed forward heavily, his gun arm whirring and clicking awake as he pointed it at the crowd which reacted instinctively and raised weapons of their own.

Zack pulled out the mythril saber and she and Rude lifted their fists in close to identical stances though his was a heavier and more rooted position. Multiple dealings with the Turk had taught her he was a much more fist dominant fighter than she was and while she wouldn't trust the Turk, she knew the two of them working together was going to be the most effective strategy if they had to fight their way out of this.

"I see you're the same reckless foolish idiot you always were Barret... so willing to risk the lives of others without consideration or thought"

Barret's face dropped in horror as a daunting looking man staggered forward, a gun arm of his own pointed in their direction.

"... what the?... Dyne!?... DYNE IS THAT YOU!?... IT CAN'T…!"

"So… you remember my name"

Barret looked dumbfounded, lowering his weapon thoughtlessly as he spoke.

"Of course I do! Dyne man, not a day has gone by I ain't thought 'bout..."

"GET YOUR GUN BACK UP NOW!"

Barret recoiled at the man's furious outburst but he still didn't raise his weapon so Tifa readied herself to move instead.

"...Dyne?... What are ya' doin' 'ere?... How are you alive!?... What'cha pointin' that thing at me for and why did you take Jessie!?.. Dyne answer me!"

Question after question the man ignored, pointing his gun straight at Barret's face like he was ready to shoot at any minute.

"It's funny how convincing you sound that you care about the girl... if only you had cared this much about Corel before you signed it away to Shinra, then perhaps it would still be here today"

Tifa inched her way closer towards the second in command with the clouded eye while everyone remained distracted by the tense exchange that was going on.

"Dyne…"

"Maybe..."

"I know what I did..."

"MAYBE!..."

"I know it was a mistake…"

"SHUT UP!" a gunshot was fired at Barret's feet throwing him into silence. "TALK! All you do is talk! You don't care! If you had really cared then Myrna wouldn't be a pile of fucking ash right now along with my family, you ever think about that!? Ever think about what you lost me!?"

Tifa grit her teeth, talking about Barret's wife that way crossed a line and she couldn't believe Barret was letting him get away with it.

"I think 'bout it every day..."

"Well thinking about it isn't going to bring them back! If only you hadn't of been such a trusting fool and listened to me! Eleanor, Marlene, Corel... they would all still be here and I wouldn't have to kill your worthless hide!"

Dyne readied his weapon but Barret still didn't raise his gun or even begin to defend himself and Tifa started to panic and stealth faster.

"I know... christ there ain't a day goes by I don't think 'bout wha' I could'a done different Dyne. I know I can't ask for your forgiveness but listen to me... Marlene! She's alive! She ain't dead Dyne!"

"...?"

"I went back into town after you fell. I thought everyone was dead but I had to be sure. That's when I found her, found Marlene!"

"... you're... trying to tell me... Marlene's alive?"

Tifa saw the hostile mistrust in Dyne's face and in that moment she was so convinced that he was about to shoot Barret that she made her move and lunged for the man with the clouded eye to grab him from behind and hold him in a tight strangling headlock.

"GET YOUR GUN OFF HIM NOW!" Tifa roared, her adrenaline pounding hard as the man thrashing in her hold tried to break out of the grip master Zangan had taught her to restrain a person who was bigger and stronger than you.

"Teef stop!"

"No! You might be willing to die to this jerk Barret but I'm not letting you! I'm not letting Marlene become an orphan!"

"Orphan?" Dyne mumbled looking over in her direction.

"Yes orphan! Because despite what you might believe she is alive and Barret has been more than just a father to that little girl! She's smart and funny and there is nothing I would love more than to be in your shoes right now Dyne! To be that little girls real parent!"

Tifa was openly emotional and the man in her excessive viper like grip was beginning to slow down as she was stopping him from breathing and she knew it wouldn't be long before she had to let him go.

"Now get your gun off him and give me back Jessie or I'll break your man's neck!"

Dyne didn't look in the slightest bit phased by the threat and as if to prove it he raised his gun arm at her and fired one frightening loud shot in her direction.

The bullet exploded through the neck of the man she was holding, passing straight through him and skimming over Tifa's left shoulder while barely missing the arm she was choking him with. Blood sprayed across one half of Tifa's face and as a chorus of alarmed shouts blended themselves together all around her, she felt herself seize up in total shock as the prisoner went limp in her hold and hot blood poured down the front of her body.

"DYNE ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Barret bellowed.

"... so... Marlene really is alive" Dyne whispered thoughtfully like nothing had happened and started limping away.

Zack ran over to calm down a gasping to breath Tifa and Barret finally raised his gun on his old friend as he continued to leave.

"Wha' tha' hell Dyne!? What was that!?... HEY! WHERE YA' GOIN'!?"

"... to talk to Eleanor... she has to know… no… but she already knows… she's up there so she must know... why didn't she tell me?..."

AVALANCHE and Corel prisoners alike watched in silence as Dyne hobbled away, no one knowing what to do or say to the man who had clearly lost his sanity. Then Rude who had been keeping an aloof and composed watch over the unfolding events, broke the silence first with a crack of his knuckles and made to follow after the man.

"Hey where ya' think ya' goin'!?" Barret grabbed the Turks forearm roughly. "This ain't none'a ya' damn business!"

Rude turned and simply gave an eye-level stare back in response, reminding Barret that this was very much his business and surprisingly Barret released his hold on the Turks arm and without a word the pair left together to follow Dyne into the rocky mountainous path he had wandered off into.

"Teef calm down, look at me... Tifa"

The martial artist had her shoulders shaken lightly and she looked at Zack who was gripping onto both of her shoulders, not realizing her breathing was still hitching and roller-coasting out of control.

"He-he's… in-in-sane"

Zack nodded solemnly and then tore off the dark navy pocket of his trousers, using the material to gently wipe some of the blood off her face and with every stroke she started feeling calmer and her breathing began to slow.

"Come on, we have to go" he ushered after cleaning the last of the blood that had got onto her mouth away. "It isn't safe here"

Tifa trembled, those beloved thoughts and feelings about Cloud rising up in her again but she quickly fought them back down. Zack wasn't Cloud, despite how much Zack could remind her of him at times, Zack was Zack, a dear and loyal friend who belonged with Aerith and because of that she could never let those feelings in and risk making the same mistake she had made when she kissed him atop fort Condor. Clearing her mind she pulled her eyes off the SOLDIER and glanced around to see the surrounding circle of angry-looking men was slowly getting tighter and becoming increasingly more hostile.

Nodding she followed Zack as he guided her closely by the wrist away from the mob and up into the mountain path. Every step she took made her more and more aware of the wet blood sticking her once white crop top tight against her body and it made her feel ill but she couldn't figure out why. It wasn't as if she hadn't had blood on her or seen someone killed before, she had experienced both atrocities plenty of times so why was she getting so freaked out? Regardless she needed to fix her head and focus if she was going to save Jessie. They continued climbing the mountain path as quickly as they could, Zack's enhanced speed and strength doing most of the work and once they had neared the top Tifa could hear the mad gunman speaking again.

"You know I hear her voice... Eleanor's voice... begging me not to hate your rotten guts"

Stepping onto the summit Tifa and Zack stared at the bleak scene of Dyne kneeling down in front of the larger of two pitiful empty grave markers that stood on the dark precipice of a cliff. It was a depressing and morbid sight, to see a person's life commemorated by two charred and crudely interlocking sticks that were clearly salvaged from the black skeletal remains of the nearby house that had long been burned to the ground. It was the scene of a man who had lost everything, who had been broken and consumed by his grief and in that moment Tifa felt an overwhelming sympathy for Dyne. Knowing in herself how close she had come to being swallowed by a similar grief in the dark years that followed after Nibelheim was destroyed.

"That's why I never hunted you down all these years... Then when you entered Corel... Eleanor's voice just wasn't enough to stop my need to kill you..."

"Kill me!? Dyne ya' can't be serious!?" Barret implored as his old friend stood up and staggered over to stare at the wreckage of a once happy home with a look of exhausted rage on his face.

"Not just you. Me. This city. These people. The world. I want everything and everyone destroyed... and I can't… I can't stop it…"

"That's crazy talk! Why ya' wanna' hurt people who ain't even involved!?"

"The hell you care!? You think the people killed are gonna understand why? You think the dead will care what the reason is? All Shinra ever gave us was artillery and stupid excuses! Now all that's left is a world of emptiness and despair..."

"But ya' can't! Not now ya' know Marlene's still alive!"

"You're wrong Barret, don't you see? That's even more reason why I gotta end it all... Eleanor's all alone now, she's been alone all these years. I have to send Marlene to be with her mother..."

"WHAT!? THAT'S INSANE!"

"Marlene wants to see her mom don't she?... That's why I gotta fight you"

Dyne lifted his arm and began firing recklessly at Barret.

"Dyne!... STOP!... I can't die yet!"

"Oh yeah? Well my life's been over ever since then"

A bullet bit into Barret's leg, pushing him onto one knee and Zack drew his sword.

"No! You stay tha' hell outta this Zack!", Barret got back on his feet and the safety of his weapon was audibly taken off. "This is my problem to deal with."

* * *

**Chapter 39 Part 2** **\- Unforeseen rescue**

Jessie lifted her head in response to the distant storm of gunfire reaching into the room and bouncing around the metal walls of their stifling hot prison.

"Well I think it's safe to say negotiations didn't go so well" Reno remarked whimsically and began tugging at his bonds again.

"What are you doing?" the young engineer choked, feeling immensely dehydrated and at a loss as to how a man who had lost a sizeable amount of blood from his shoulder could still have the energy to fight.

"That's our cue doll"

"Cue?"

"Our cue to seriously start working on a way to get outta here"

"But they're here now, Zack and the others, it's them, they're here to rescue us"

"And yet I'm still tied to this fuckin' post. Look baby, no disrespect to ya' friends or anything, but I ain't about to start putting my trust in 'em, especially when the next people who walk in through that door will be here to kill us"

"Kill us!?"

"Shit's goin' down so now they have no intention of letting... us… outta… here... bollocks! there's no chance I'm gettin' these off" Reno gave up again, his breathing sounding thin and his face deathly pale, amazing Jessie that despite his condition he still managed to heave a light chuckle. "Kinda funny if ya' think about it… screwed over by probably the only prisoner in the world that knows how to tie a proper knot"

"What are we gonna do?" Jessie asked, putting great effort into heeding his words and not freaking out.

"... I got it... let me see your knot, try to move around so I can see it"

Jessie shuffled herself around inch by inch, something that would have been hard enough with bruised knees and stiffly bound hands but the small red dress clinging restrictively to her damp body made it even worse.

"Would this be a bad time to mention how smokin' hot you look?" Reno called once she had put got her behind on display for him.

Jessie looked down at the ground and smiled with a blush.

"The dates over now Reno, so you keep your eyes to yourself Mr" she called back, pretending like she wasn't nearly as flattered as she was.

"Actually… technically it isn't yo"

"It isn't?... Oh so is this how most of your dates end up?"

"Tied up ya mean? Well it sure ain't a first"

Jessie laughed, then she chewed her lip anxiously.

"Have you... been with many women Reno?"

The red-head girls eyes widened almost as soon as she asked the question, she could not believe that of all the heat delirious thoughts she was having that was the one she decided to blurt out. "Oh god!... I can't believe I said that!... please forget I said that!"

Reno laughed lightly but kindly let the comment slide and Jessie's face would have started burning if it wasn't already doing so from the heat.

"Ok the good news is the reigning knot tieing champion of Corel prison didn't rig ya' up, someone retarded put that mess together"

"And the bad news?"

"It ain't gonna be so comfortable gettin' outta it"

Jessie stretched around to look behind her at Reno, "I've been in heels for the last twenty-four hours... I've forgotten the definition of comfortable"

"Hey don't blame me, I think you'd look great in just those combat boots of yours"

"... 'Just'... those combat boots of mine?" she raised her eyebrows at him and Reno flashed his infamous shark-like grin at her mischievously.

"That wasn't how I meant it but now you mention it... that isn't something I would object to seeing"

"Hmmm", Jessie bat her eyelashes at him feeling hot and oddly flirtatious. "Get me out of here and perhaps I'll let you"

"… well what you need to do is!" he blurted out after a moment of silence and Jessie rolled her eyes, giggling as she set her head back against the wooden post.

Gaia Reno made her feel good.

"Stretch ya' fingers out as far as possible and touch them all together"

Jessie did as he instructed.

"Good, that's it. Now tuck ya' thumbs into your palms, you need to make your wrists as thin as possible and place them back to back"

"Like this?"

"That's it baby. Now it's ya' left hand you're getting out first so you gotta use the right one to create whatever slack there is. Push it towards me and out to the upper right, remember push, don't pull or you'll tighten it"

"Ok I think I got it"

"Last bit, you gotta pull your left hand towards you and down , like ya' pulling it towards ya'... towards ya'... butt..."

"Reno! Focus!"

"Right right!... Now it's going to be uncomfortable ok, but you need to keep pulling as hard as you can and don't stop so take a deep breath first"

"Ok I will, I'll try"

She followed his instructions closely with her hands, began pulling just as Reno had said and immediately the twisting angle felt like someone was trying to break her wrists but she squeezed her eyes shut and kept pulling. Fighting to follow his guidance and keep her wrists small, Jessie strained as hard as her strength would allow, the coarse hot rope cutting agonizingly into her arms and making small beads of tears begin to run down her cheeks.

"That's it keep going. Come on keep going"

"But it hurts!"

"I know baby but you've almost got it, don't stop!"

Jessie whimpered, it certainly didn't feel like she was anywhere close to being free but then her left hand suddenly tore itself free from the knot and in an instant wave of relief she fell forward onto her hands sending a scattering of tears glimmering to the ground. Staring down at her searing wrists she mourned at how terrible they looked, with deep red bleeding grooves outlined in a border of bruises that had already turned a purplish shade a hint above black.

Deciding that crying about her wrists could wait until later she got to her feet unsteadily, feeling her limbs stiffly protest against leaving the position they had been forced into for hours.

"You did good Jessie, real good, I know that wasn't easy" Reno praised as she rushed to undo his bonds and once she had freed him he tried to hurry to his feet a bit too quickly and she moved to help him up.

"Take it easy"

"Here let me look at it" he urged, dismissing her concern as he stumbled upright and took her more painful left hand delicately in his to inspect it.

He turned her wrist lightly over in his hands a number of times, pressing his fingers and thumb on it in various points which made her wince but she didn't mind and let him continue.

"…it isn't dislocated" Reno concluded with a heart-warming amount of relief in his voice. "We just gotta get you some cure materia"

"You're the one who's been shot!" Jessie exclaimed but her comment and hand was shrugged off as she tried to reach for his shoulder.

"I don't care"

Reno raised her wrist and Jessie watched starstruck as he placed it to his lips, kissing gently against the sensitive marks. A tender contact that both stung and felt amazing at the same time. A bitter-sweet touch that hurt but made all her awareness of any pain subside.

Replacing her wrist with her mouth Jessie leaned in to lay her dry lips lightly onto the end of his and then guide Reno's head onto her shoulder to hug her arms around him, taking care to avoid his shoulder as she did so.

"You're not the Turk I thought you was. I just can't see him anymore... you know that right?"

Reno didn't say anything, but his hands resting on the sides of her waist tightened slightly and that was more than enough.

The embrace pulled apart and she looked at him and he looked at her, then they looked at each others disheveled appearances. The cuts, the bruises, the dirt and together they smiled.

"We're a freakin' mess is what we are"

Jessie laughed, "we look terrible!"

" _Why've I gotta bloody do it!?_ "

The two red-heads froze as a voice from outside signaled company that wasn't in the form of AVALANCHE had arrived. Reno pressed his finger to his lips and together they crept over to the door of the container to listen out closely.

" _Like Dyne said, once Wallace arrived we had to kill 'em an' ya' know the rules round 'ere, newbies gotta prove 'emselves first. Unless you want me to tell Dyne you both refused to do it, that what you want? You know the guy don't need much of a reason ta' shoot a person 'round here_ "

" _Alright! We'll do it!... fuckin' assholes. But we're taking the guns, I ain't goin' anywhere near that guy without a proper weapon_ "

" _Awww whats'a matter princess? Scared the Turk will stare ya' ta' death?_ "

Jessie exchanged glances with the man opposite her as the distinct sound of guns exchanging hands and the laughs of perhaps seven to ten men could be heard from outside. Next the sound of approaching footsteps drew closer in their direction.

" _Oh and don't kill the girl! Get'er out here. Fuck knows we've all been waitin' ta' have a go on that all day_ "

_"Amen", "Ya' can say that again", "Finally"  
_

Jessie felt physically sick as a loud ripple of agreements were passed between however many men there actually were out there.

The footsteps stopped a few inches away from them and the clanging sound of the door unbolting made Jessie's shaking nerves peak but Reno gave her a reassuring glance and readied himself to pounce, mouthing the words 'close the door' to her. It opened, two boots stepped over the threshold and the eighteen year old girl placed her hands against the back of the hot container door.

"What the!?"

Jessie pushed it shut and Reno was so quick she didn't even see how he managed to incapacitate the first one but by the time she had closed the door she could see that he had his fingers pinched firmly onto the voicebox of the second, choking him on the spot and preventing him from shouting out. The speechless gaping mouthed prisoner tried to fight back and raise a crudely assembled gun but it was disarmed straight into Reno's free hand with such ease it looked as if the man had passed it to him.

"Yes I would like that thank you, how did ya' know?"

The Turk smirked revengefully at the helpless man and then jabbed the butt of the gun into the side of his temple to let him crumble to the floor at their feet.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side" Jessie mumbled as he checked the ammo and quality of both guns with military precision.

"You're a terrorist baby, an' I'm like'a terrorist hunter, my bad side is where I like you" he grinned and she couldn't resist doing so to despite the dark humor and the fact he was pressing a gun firmly into her hands. "Now wait here, an anyone who comes back through that door that ain't me, ya' shoot 'em"

"Wait! What are you going to do? There's like eight or ten of them out there"

He placed his hand on the slightly ajar door and casually looked at her sideways with a definite hint of excitement in his eyes which was worrying.

"Remember what I said, no one man handles me or my date an' gets away with it"

Reno swung the barrel of the gun over his shoulder, pulled the door open wide and when he strolled outside more as if he was walking into a nice park on a sunny day then at a group of dangerous men looking to kill him, Jessie found it disturbed her and she tensed with her back pressed firmly against the wall. It was just like earlier when Reno was provoking Dyne to shoot him. Where did the line between being confident and simply having a death wish start and end? What did she really know about what was going on in that head of his? When was she going to wake up and realize this man she was involving herself with was potentially a loose-wire and dangerous?

"Well fella's, glad you could all make it, I'm pleased to say I recognize some of your faces"

"The Turk!", "What the fuck!", "How'd he get out!?" , "Oh crap!"

"Unfortunately for you though, you fucked with one of lifes little golden rules..."

"Shit what to we do!" , "Get him!" , "He's gotta gun!"

"… never mess with a Turk"

Jessie flinched and clutched the weapon in her hand tighter as more gunfire rose up to replace the ones that had died down earlier but these bangs were also blended with a blur of screams, shouts and even that disturbing noise a blade made when it was thrust deep into a person's body. The grizzly mix of sounds lasted for many minutes and then there was a momentary silence until Reno's voice spoke again.

"Well, well, well, I said I would find you. I'd really put that down if I were you slick, you're just beginning to look silly"

"Ok ok! There! It's down! See!... P-please! Please don't kill me!"

"Now if I recall correctly... I gave you something of mine I asked you to look after. I'd like it back"

"Here! I have your rod thingy here!... Take it! I didn't use it I swear!"

"Good. Now the ladies"

"H-h-h-him! He-he-he's got it! It's on him!"

"Which one?... Oh you mean the one with the railing spike through his back?"

"Yes! Yes... oh christ! Please don't kill me man!"

"Hmmm, but you see I said I would and I don't want to make myself look stupid in front of all of your... friends"

"PLEASE! PLEASE NO!"

Jessie heard Reno chuckle and as a final chilling gunshot boomed and echoed through her head, Jessie's spirit dropped. Not only did Reno kill that man when he didn't need to, he actually enjoyed and took pleasure in doing it... it was definitely time that she woke up from the fairytale romance and faced reality. The reality that both a man and a Turk existed inside of Reno.

She had fallen for the man, Gaia more than fallen, she was so head over heels for him that she had even been willing to give herself to him that night at the golden saucer. He made her feel alive, special, beautiful and truly happy. But the Turk was merciless, ruthless and cold, seeming to know little more than how to hurt and kill and a large part of that scared her. Two extremes in one man, two opposites in one mind and it dawned on her like a sharp slap across the face that as much as she had hoped or tricked herself into believing otherwise, one didn't simply come without the other.

She loved one and loathed the other and while she couldn't be with the Turk, she also couldn't turn her back on the man. He had been her defender, her rescuer and because of the fate he had saved her from today, Jessie now owed her life to him. She had to return the favor. She had to find out what was going on in that head of his and get Reno off this crazy one track path that could only lead to him getting himself killed.

She had to save him from the Turk.

* * *

**Chapter 39 Part 3** **\- Unforeseen rescue**

Another shot buried itself deep into Dyne's side and when the man finally dropped to his knee Barret lowered his smoking gun, the multiple wounds he carried himself being ignored as he stepped towards the fallen man distraught.

"NO!... Get... back!"

Barret froze and the badly wounded gunman slowly got up and tried to limp away towards the grave marker of his wife but only made it half-way before staggering into the charcoaled wall of his destroyed home, collapsing his back up against it. The beaten man looked at Barret, then his wife's cross, then to the sky and Tifa would never forget the look she saw in that mans eyes, a look of helpless shame and total defeat, a look that should never belong on any living human being.

"... it wasn't just my arm... back then... I lost something irreplaceable... I don't know where I went wrong"

Barret dropped his head low, "Dyne... I don't know either man. Is this the only way we can resolve this?"

"Like I said... I want to destroy everything... I... know something's wrong with me... I know I'm not right..."

"But Marlene... we can go see her! She's in Midgar. We can sort ya' head out an' go see her together"

Dyne shook his head brokenly.

"... think about it Barret... how old was Marlene back then?... even if I went to see her... she wouldn't even know me...", Dyne looked down at his gun and palm, "... and besides... these hands are a little too stained to carry Marlene anymore"

"..."

The man used what strength he had left to push himself upright against the wall, struggling to stand and reach into his open torn jacket to take out a woman's silver necklace and throw it to Barret.

"Give that pendant to Marlene... it was Eleanor's... a memento"

"... I will"

"And Barret... don't you... ever... don't ever make Marlene cry..."

Tifa swallowed tearfully as Dyne's dead eyes looked at Barret and then made contact with hers.

"... keep her away from monsters like me..."

Tifa cracked and nodded her heartfelt vow minutely, she would always protect Marlene, protect her with her life and with that final nod Dyne began to drag himself along the wall towards Eleanor's grave.

"... your friend and the Turk..."

Tifa held her breath and saw Rude tense alert after waiting patiently for this information.

"... they're ten minutes west of the entrance you came in at... you'll find them in a green container... if they're still alive..."

"If they're still alive!? Dyne man! You can take us to them ya'self! Come on we can fix this! Hey! Where ya' goin'?"

"... wow... Marlene... she'll be four already..."

"Dyne stop! No! Whadda ya' doin'!? Get away from there! STOP!"

Barret charged forward and even the martial artists foot and hand jolted forward as the man continued on passed his wife's grave, turned at the cliffs edge, spread his arms and leaned back.

"DYNE NO!", and then he was gone. "D-Y-Y-Y-N-E!"

Tifa shut her eyes to the sound of Barret's loud cry of anguish, unable to watch as he fell onto his knees. Seeing her friends in pain was something she simply couldn't bare to see but the sense of urgency to find Jessie was blowing up inside of her and she had to open them again.

"We need to go" Zack whispered to her.

Tifa nodded and forced herself to approach a heart-broken Barret.

"... I'm... sorry", she laid her hand gently on his shoulders that were shaking up and down terribly. "I'm so sorry B... about Dyne... about what I said earlier... everything"

"Me an' him were tha' same Teef... my hands ain't any cleaner... I shouldn't be allowed to carry Marlene either..."

Tifa knelt beside him and hugged one of his big arms.

"Don't say that. Marlene loves you. I love you. We're a family remember"

Suddenly more gunfire erupted in the distance away down the mountain in the direction that Dyne had told them and it brought Barret to his senses, getting quickly to his feet.

"JESS!"

The four of them took off back down the mountain in pursuit of the sound and as they arrived back in the heart of the prison, the place was a mess of panic and chaos as no one knew who or where the gunshots were coming from. Seeing Barret with a gun and Zack Fair who they all feared running towards them, the prisoners must have assumed they were under attack and that was when the fighting broke out. Guns, knives, bats and anything that could be considered lethal or sharp were swung at them and Barret's gunfire soon had no choice but to join the hail of noise and Tifa looked backed briefly to see the shimmering blue arcs of Zack's blade fighting back the mobs as they began to swarm him.

The martial artist kept running while dodging, parrying and avoiding frantic attacks aimed at her as she went. Barret and Zack could take care of themselves, her eighteen year old engineer on the other hand was no where near as experienced and was in need of her protection. She started recklessly getting deeper into the thick of it, the desperation to get to Jessie clouding her judgement and soon the crowd around her became too dense to run through without putting up a fight to clear the way.

Slamming the enforced knuckles of one of her grand gloves into the chest of an oncoming attacker she gave herself space to use her feet and connect her black boots against enemy after enemy in a swift series of side, crescent, roundhouse, dolphin and snap kicks. When faced with multiple aggressors, keeping them at arm's length was commonly regarded as the best strategy in martial arts. But with legs as long as Tifa's, keeping them at legs length was even better still.

Using every trained aspect of her limit break she took down as many as she could to clear a path but for every one that fell two more would run at her until she started becoming overwhelmed. Breaking off with a somersault kick she began consecutively flipping and diving over targets, looking for the right opportunity when she coul;d take out as many of them as she could. Her opportunity came when a hatchet wielding opponent swung his weapon poorly under her horizontal twist and ceasing the acrobatics she grabbed him by the front of his shirt with both of her hands. Kicking off of the ground Tifa used the momentum of a well cast haste materia to bullet straight up into air and using the final part of her limit break, hurled her victim towards the ground in a meteor strike. Slamming into the crowd the attack would effectively but despite the number she had wiped out there were still too many of them and when Tifa landed on her feet she was knocked off-balance before she could recover.

Her back hitting the dust another crazed prisoner tried to dive on top of her with a jagged blade held high, Tifa's eyes widened and she got her leg up just in time to hold him back by placing her boot against his chest and with the other leg she swung it in a wide kick across his jaw. Free of the man she tried to flip-up onto her feet as quickly as she could but a heavy body threw itself across her legs to stop her using her feet and another man drove his knees against her chest, crushing her upper body to the floor to restrain her.

"Ya' dead now bitch"

A dagger appeared directly in front of her eye-line and Tifa prepared to move her head as it came slicing down towards her face but a black leather glove snatched the mans hand mid decent and with one short turn it was twisted backwards and the wrist broke loudly. The howling mans weight pinning her chest down was lifted off of her and Rude slammed his fist into the mans face twice and then hooked around to pummel the one holding her legs in the temple. Her body free again Tifa watched from the ground in bewilderment as the Turk took up a sluggers stance, a heavy style of fighting that was used in traditional boxing, knocking out attackers one after the other in powerful weighty punches as they ran in. Catching a break after smashing through the most immediate threats he briefly turned to look down at her and stretched his gloved hand out which she stared at while sitting upright like it was some sort of alien object.

"You're no good to her dead"

Tifa looked at the Turk, then raised her own hand out unsurely and before she knew it she was hoisted up onto her feet. Swallowing her stubborn pride she nodded something in the way of a thanks to the assassin and despite what Barret had said, when Rude turned his back on her, she turned her back on him and they closed quarters, ready to take on the oncoming wave of attacks.

* * *

**Chapter 39 Part 4** **\- Unforeseen rescue**

Falling through the empty void of dark nothingness he gave into his defeat, succumbing to the truth that there was no place in this world for a monster like him to exist and he welcomed it, welcomed the long-awaited rest because he was tired, so so very tired.

The mans weightless decent was bliss until a thundering force came crashing into his side, inflaming the injury that resided there across his entire body and wracking his body with pain. Confused and angry he screamed out into the world as a rushing wind hurricaned into him until the darkness turned to light and he was dropped to meet solid rocky ground beneath him.

Dyne climbed to his feet and lifted his gun in rage that someone had stolen his much desired slumber from him but the sight of the impossible figure before him stopped him from shooting. The tall auburn haired being stood teetered on the edge of a sheep drop, gazing out into the mountains that Dyne knew better than anyone else on this planet.

"My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow. No matter where the winds may blow"

The single sleek black wing protruding from the creatures back furled itself closed, the tails of its scarlet leather coat billowing in the wind as crimson eyes turned to burn him but he felt nothing, he always felt… nothing. His empty and hollow reaction seemed to please the legendary SOLDIER and two fang like teeth slid into view as the mans lips curled into a smirk. Oh yes, Dyne had heard the stories and rumors of Genesis Rhapsodos well enough to know that the infamous SOLDIER was supposed to be dead, not that if was of consequence, he of all people knew all about 'supposedly' being dead. Dyne lowered his gun and the forsaken crimson commander nodded his approval then began precariously walking the edge of the long drop, tactfully surveying the world far below.

"Minerva preserves her son, her precious weapon to move against us. The guardian manipulates and alters Gaia's history from the lifestream at will, seeking to destroy us for good and deny us our rightful vengeance"

Genesis stepped off into the abyss and the midnight wing effortlessly extended to hold him in mid-flight as he turned to the one armed-gunman in mid-air with a mischievous and malevolent expression.

"But so can we"

"... we?"

With long striding footsteps coming from behind, Dyne turned to see none other than the shadow himself as he approached. The specter that haunted the planet and plagued it with fearful tales of a silver general's return.

"So you truly desire to die and see this world destroyed?"

The sickness in the gunman's mind smiled and made him nod.

"We can grant you your wish"


	40. Futures past

**Chapter 40 Part 1- Futures past**

With the occasional plume of dirty black smoke billowing into her face, Jessie looked around numbly as she stumbled across the dusty dry earth. The place looked like a scene from the slaughter at sector seven or the aftermath of the battle at fort Condor mixed with the carnage she had seen when guard hawk had crashed into the train graveyard.

Jessie concluded that at eighteen she had already seen too much.

Glancing back towards Reno he nodded to her in understanding, his face covered in blood, ash and exhaustion. She tried to smile back but she honestly could not remember the last time she had felt this run down or ached this much all over.

"Jessie?"

The young engineers heart skipped a beat when she heard that voice and skipped again when she saw a battle-worn Tifa approaching slowly through the haze of smoke. The gun Jessie had carried and killed with slipped from her hand and her electro-mag rod fell from the other.

"Jessie! She's over here! I've found her!"

The martial artist came running towards her and whatever fabricated strength the red-heads body was still running on, switched off and she tumbled forward into the safety of Tifa's arms that caught her in a desperate hug.

"Jess! Jess I've got you. You're safe now babe. I've got you."

Jessie closed her eyes and let her surrogate big sister squeeze her tight, smiling softly into the side of the older woman's smoke infused hair and selfishly letting her weight be supported.

"You came for me."

"Well'a course we came fer' ya', this group ain't got squat without our girl Jess."

Opening her eyes over Tifa's shoulder, she glowed to see Barret standing there with his arms folded, looking macho and a total contrast to a thoroughly roughed up looking Zack who was grinning at her like a big silly puppy.

"That's right, without you B would become the next best tech-whizz of the group."

All four of them laughed and the man who couldn't even operate a PHS to call Marlene without assistance, jabbed an arm out sideways to punch the SOLDIER in the arm who swayed dangerously on the spot as a result.

"Thanks guys" Jessie's voice shook terribly as she lightly used Tifa's forearms to try and stand for herself.

"We're a family, we look out for each other" Tifa straightened out the young girls ruined red-dress affectionately. "As much as I hate to admit it though, we're not the only ones who can be thanked."

Looking around with Tifa, the young engineer tensed when she saw Reno and Rude were off in the distance, walking away with the former being heavily supported by the latter. Jessie's reaction was instinctive and she gently pushed away from the martial artist on barely able to stand legs to go after them.

"Where are…?" Tifa tried to follow and reach out to her.

"Wait here" Jessie urged, turning back and catching the women's hand that was stained in a coat of dried blood. "I'll only be a minute" she assured Tifa lightly who nodded uncertainly.

Walking away from her AVALANCHE family, Jessie hurried over towards the Turks and called out once she was within earshot to be heard.

"Reno!"

They stopped and she smiled as the wounded Turk quickly grabbed Rude's arm from around his back and shoved his loyal partner rather unceremoniously away. He turned for her and the eighteen year old red-head wanted to continue straight into him but she lost the nerve and faltered to a stop a few steps away from him. Which was probably a good thing, he would quite likely keel over from a strong gust of wind right now.

"Reno I..."

Her voice cut out and Jessie looked away from the beautiful forest green eyes that were fixed on her to stare at the ground, she hadn't figured out a reason for running over or what she was going to say just yet.

"Ya' don't have to do this."

Jessie looked up and with one assertive nod she stepped towards him, excruciatingly conscious that Tifa, Barret and Zack were watching her from afar. Lifting her arm she placed her hand delicately onto the front of Reno's jacket, feeling the surprisingly soft material beneath her fingers. They really were such beautiful suits.

"Yes I do."

Extending herself towards the man who had saved her life more than once, she capitalized on what she knew would be the last chance for quite some time but hoped would not be the final time that she would have to share a kiss with Reno. As their lips met together once again in equal passion, Jessie could hear the startled gasps and furious shouts from behind her but for now she chose to block them out. Focusing on nothing but the sensation of being with Reno and the way they moved when they were together made her heart tremble. The way they had this rough but affectionate magnetism with one another that was so uniquely 'them', it felt like something special, something that seemed impossible to be shared between two people who were supposedly enemies.

Just as she was the first to engage the kiss, Jessie was eventually the first who broke away before her heart could explode through her chest. Keeping her face and mouth close to his, their hot breath mixed pleasantly together like an exchange of essences as they remained that way for a number of minutes. Closely taking in the finer details of each other's features for one final moment.

"Does this mean ya' gonna start replyin' to my messages at last?" Reno whispered, teasingly squeezing her hip.

She smiled almost dreamily and pinched back, "perhaps". Then she got serious. "Reno… I don't know what I'm doing anymore… but I want to see you again."

Taking her chin in his hand he angled her face to his, smiled, then walked away backwards a few steps, giving her that infamous wink of his.

"You will troublemaker… you will."

She watched Reno leave, already finding she missed him and his antics as Rude smirked and ruffled the back of the Turks hair who shoved the bald headed man away and told him to 'piss off'. She couldn't deny that she had fallen for Reno… hard.

Taking a deep breath Jessie composed her emotions, readied herself to face the music and walked hesitantly back over towards three mortified looking faces. Seeing their expressions her stomach churned and she almost felt like crying in shame and humiliation, were they disgusted by her? She couldn't handle hearing the answer right now, she simply didn't have the energy for it.

Approaching Tifa who looked the most horrified whereas Barret looked angry and Zack just looked shocked, Jessie dipped her head and sniffed back the river building in the back of her eyes.

"Je…

"Teef please… I know I lied to you back in the hotel room and I'm sorry… but can we do this another time?"

Tifa's mouth opened then closed, then opened again and closed again. Left at a total loss for what to say the fighter simply nodded and Jessie looked over at a furious looking Barret.

"I know you're mad at me B. I didn't ever want to make you angry with me…"

The gunman heatedly held her gaze for a number of seconds then turned his head away from her. It hurt, but she had been expecting that.

Finally she stumbled her way over to Zack who held the kindest of all three faces and she was grateful for the two strong hands that came out to greet her and take some of her weight from her somehow unbroken heels. Jessie's calves were burning fiercely, her feet were damaged and beyond aching and she honestly believed she could not take another step even if someone offered her a thousand gil to do so.

"Can you carry me?" she asked shamefully.

Zack gave her the warmest and most understanding nod she had ever seen which at that moment in time felt like the lifeline she sorely needed and she clung to him tightly as he wrapped his arms under her and lifted her effortlessly into a fireman's carry with inhuman strength.

"Thanks Zack" she mumbled softly, setting her head against his collar bone with eyes that were already beginning to wilt.

"What are friends for?" came the gently pitched response.

She smiled and after a few minutes of swaying in the blissful rhythm of Zack's stride, Jessie was moments away from falling asleep when she felt herself being shifted about.

"It's cos'a me she's down 'ere."

Opening her eyes she warmed to see Barret as she was exchanged into a new pair of much larger and equally as comfortable arms.

"I ain't mad at'cha ya' hear?"

Jessie nodded… or at least she thinks she did, she was fast asleep before she could really tell.

* * *

**Chapter 40 Part 2- Futures past**

Cloud stepped through the long shadows cast by the shell white buildings of the forgotten city with a feeling of unpleasant nostalgia churning in the pit of his stomach.

This place held too many dark memories for him. Memories of fighting the remnants to save Marlene and a geostigma infected Denzel and failing to retrieve the latter. Memories of running through this place as fast as his Mako would allow in his desperation to get to Aerith, just to fail again and watch her die on that spot over there.

Steely eyes that were taking on a greener shade of color by the day, gazed at the tall stone plinth that stood dauntingly across the crystal lake. He had failed so many times, he was still failing now. The darkening hue of venom in his eyes served as a constant reminder to that.

Things were slipping from his control now as fast as sand through a siv, events were spiralling out of control in a world he was trying to save but had no physical control over. Fighting was the only way he knew how to deal with the world's problems, now he couldn't even make this water part beneath him even if he wanted to.

Cloud walked across the surface of the lake, this was the effect of not really being here. But he didn't mind if it meant Zack and Aerith could walk together again, even if it was for just a while longer.

The blonde guardians knees came out from under him, landing against some ethereal invisible surface that held his dissipating form above the lake.

How could they do this to him? How could they expect him to lead a girl he dearly loved to her death again just so he could return and fight Jenova again before she could attach herself to the lifestream? He was so tired of fighting. How could they expect him to watch Aerith die under Sephiroth's sword again and relive that nightmare? It nearly shattered his heart the last time, it would not survive another round.

It was true, he loved Aerith, he loved her ever since the day he fell through the church roof and knew it clear as day the moment he felt his soul crack on that plinth all those years ago. Cloud had never been very good at interpreting his own emotions and while he knew his love for Aerith was strong, he also knew it wasn't the same kind of love he had for a gorgeous brunette.

"Tifa…"

A string of precious treasured moments he had shared with his childhood sweetheart rushed through his mind.

Tifa's heavenly smile greeting him warmly without fail every time he returned home from a job. The amazing week they had spent together when Tifa had insisted on coming along on one of his deliveries and adamantly hopped on the front of Fenrir after leaving the kids with 'aunt Yuffie'. The day she accidentally gave him a black eye when he tried to sneak up on her on her on the morning of her birthday while she was making breakfast.

And most preciously of them all…

All those evenings they sat beside each other in front of the TV with Denzel and Marlene fast asleep on either side of them and then the feeling of her soft breathing against his neck when she eventually fell asleep too after talking into the night.

A bitter twinge of guilt and remorse took painful root inside of him. He had been such an idiot all those years for not telling her how he felt and for running away because he couldn't handle Aerith's death and the deserved burden of his sins. Tifa had been strong enough to deal with hers and still have enough reserves left to act as a pillar of strength for him.

Why is it he only ever seemed to realize what he had until it was gone?

"Because heroes fight for the future but they rarely envision themselves in it."

Cloud didn't look around but he felt Angeal's presence join him on the serene lake.

"You're just like Zack, he always lived in the moment."

"And yet here you are, wanting me to take his future away from him" Cloud replied evenly.

"What I want has nothing to do with it, things are getting out of hand. Genesis escaped and is working with Sephiroth and Jenova against us. He told them everything, they know about you now and they know about the planets attempt to alter the past. They are changing events in the timeline in ways it should not be changed."

Cloud turned to eye the raven-haired man who raised his eyebrow at the sight of the green tint invading the pale blue in his eyes.

"But it seems you already know about that."

"I could say the same about you" Cloud pointed from afar.

Angeal folded his arms and averted the slowly thinning cat-like pupils of his own away to stare into the pulsing celestial glow of the white trees that surrounded the silent lake.

"It's happenings to all of us. A new future is being written, 'their' future... and the closer we get to it the further we all fall, the further everything falls. Only her death can correct it Cloud, it's the only pinpoint in history that can put this all back on track, it's the only way you can return to finish this. Sephiroth doesn't know about the true power of holy, he believes its only purpose is to prevent meteor and that will be his undoing."

Cloud looked down at the pink ribbon tied around the bicep of his left arm then narrowed his gaze.

"You know, Zack always said you were a nice guy. I was beginning to think so to... but now as all you seem to do these days is try and convince me to have one of my best friends killed, I think I'm starting to change my mind."

The white winged SOLDIER waved a dismissive hand and brushed passed Cloud's shoulder as he walked by to stand at the base of the plinth where Aerith died. Suddenly a distinct look of sadness fell upon his face. It was a confusing expression, one that made Cloud frown and struggle to interpret. It was then that the thought occurred to him, when Aerith was here, had she and Angeal known each other? Or was it sorrow for the two fallen angels he was plotting to destroy that he once called friends?

He didn't ask.

"No. I'm not here to convince you to guide Aerith to her death, I'm passed trying to do that"

"Then why did you come? Does Ifalna know you're here?"

Angeal looked back at him momentarily.

"No... no she doesn't. I came because I wanted to tell you myself"

There was an infuriating pause in Angeal's voice.

"Tell me what!?"

"Genesis rescued Dyne tonight, they kept him alive beyond his time"

Cloud's chest tightened, he remember Dyne well, remembered the moment he and Barret fought, remembered the moment he fell. It seemed so long ago now.

"I don't think I need to tell you why they would want a man who's willing to die and wants to destroy the world" Angeal continued.

"Black materia..." Cloud mumbled, his breathing tripping over itself in dread as the lifestream manifestation before him nodded.

"Sephiroth still intends to summon meteor and once he does that, Aerith will travel to the city of the ancients just like before. So as stands, it would seem I don't have to persuade you to guide her there yourself after all."

In his lifetime the first Cait Sith had acted as the sacrifice the temple required, with events altered and Cait travelling alongside Kunsel and Cissnei now, he had hoped that would provide one more barrier between Sephiroth getting to the black materia. But now it seemed they had Dyne to fulfil that grim role.

"No, it won't happen. I told Zack not to let her go there. I told him never to never let her go there!"

"Forgive me, but it isn't exactly like you took her there yourself last time, if I recall she ran away… into this place."

The universe spun, collapsed and flowed away in a river of light as it so often could within the lifestream and a growing panic rose up in Cloud as he found himself standing within the dense grove of the sleeping forest. It was the same panic he felt when he was here, racing to get to Aerith as she left him to travel to the ancient city alone after he had personally handed over the black materia to Sephiroth.

"No this can't happen again! It won't! Zack's stronger than I was, he won't hand it over! And the runestone! Zack has it instead of the Turks this time so that temple doesn't ever have to be opened!"

Angeal simply shook his head at the blondes blind and hopeful desperation, then his form began fading as he made to leave.

"You have to let her go Cloud. This is only going to destroy you otherwise."

Hands clenching he wanted to scream back at Angeal in defiance to that statement but instead he watched the SOLDIER disappear in silence, the weight of his words suffocating Cloud's voice. Nothing could make Cloud accept it, nothing could make him accept Aerith's death. Heaven only knows how many times he had tried or how many times Tifa's hurt eyes had turned to him and asked whether he could move on and she could be enough.

The truth was Tifa would always be more than he could ever hope for and if he ever had a chance to see or feel her again he would let her know.

Cloud wracked his skull… but it didn't change the fact that there was something rooted in his mind that simply wouldn't allow him to move passed Aerith's death. Perhaps Angeal was right, perhaps there really was no other way to save this world then to watch Aerith die again but his soul and his sanity depended on there being another way. It depended on Zack keeping Aerith away from that city and on preventing the runestone from falling into Sephiroth's hands.

* * *

**Chapter 40 Part 3- Futures past**

Resting her head against her arms and sat in the only office chair in the room, Cissnei sprawled forward across the empty desk, feeling peacefully mesmerized with an image of the runestone on her PHS in front of her eyes. They had stopped off for the night at the inn of a small village twenty-five miles north of the Corel mountains and although she was shattered after a full day of hiking, she couldn't deny that she had enjoyed every minute of it.

"Who would think something so small could be so deadly?" Cissnei mumbled, lazily observing the detail of the object on screen.

"Small and deadly? Are we talking about you or the runestone?"

Cissnei shifted to look back at Kunsel and smiled, he was sat on the soft double bed just as peacefully sharpening his Claymore for whatever new battles lay ahead of them tomorrow.

"I thought you said I was soft the other day?" she yawned and truth be told she couldn't wait to climb into bed with the SOLDIER and sleep. It was something that would probably seem strange to most people as she and Kunsel had never actually 'slept' together, but it seemed like it was something they just did now.

"Rekka Valentine, soft and deadly. Has a ring to it" he grinned at the steel of his blade as he wiped away.

"Just like Kunsel Haringer, first SOLDIER to ever decline a promotion to first?"

"Exactly" he laughed.

She quietly watched the gorgeous man working away, grateful for the peace and quiet as Cait Sith had gone off and deactivated down for the night.

"Hey Kunsel" she sat sluggishly upright.

"Mmm?"

"Do you think the others are alright?"

Looking up he gave her a playful grin for so openly displaying that she cared and Cissnei returned a sleepy coy smile of her own.

"Yeah I reckon they'll be just fine, they're probably halfway to Cosmo Canyon in Dio's buggy by now. We can call in a few days once we're far away enough that we can be sure Jessie won't track us. That or we call a contact or two, I know you have plenty in Cosmo and I have enough along the Gongaga road to check on how they're doing for us. Whatever you're comfortable with."

The sweet man mesmerized her, here he was doing his best to help keep her location a secret and he still hadn't asked where they were going, not even once. She wanted to tell him, she felt ready but first his mention of Dio had put another thought to the forefront of her mind.

"About Dio..."

Cissnei carefully thought about her wording, not wanting him to feel obliged to answer a question that had been playing on her mind since their discussion with Reeve.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but was what Reeve said true? Did you really save Dio from the Kalm fire-bombings?"

Kunsel suddenly stopped wiping his blade and there was a brief moment in which she felt scared that perhaps she had accidentally crossed a line. Cissnei knew about the Kalm fire-bombings and the way Shinra had covered the accident up, it finally explained the reason why Kunsel had acted the way he did back in his rebuilt home-town and why everyone there seemed to worship him like a hero.

"It's just that I thought Dio was from Mideel not Kalm?" Cissnei stammered unsurely when he continued not to speak.

Kunsel breathed and slowly set his sword and cloth down on the ground by the side of the bed, then he looked up at her with his striking phosphorescent eyes.

"Come sit with me Rekka."

She stood up without a second thought and went to perch next to him, suddenly no longer feeling tired, just affectionately concerned for him.

"I wasn't lying when I told you I've done things in my past, things I'm ashamed of."

Cissnei couldn't see how saving a person's life and being known as a town hero could possibly constitute as being bad, but from the pain on his face she knew there was more to it than that and so she placed a hand on his cheek in as tender a way as she knew how.

"I would never judge you, you know that right? Nothing you could say would make me change how I feel about you now."

He placed his hand over hers holding his face and nodded, then stood up and walked away to look out of the window. Cissnei didn't move, figuring that this was simply how he found it easiest to tell her.

"Ten years ago during the war with Wutai, Shinra were testing with new satellite guided missiles that they could direct across the sea. It was going to be the technology that finally won them the war."

Kunsel looked back at her for a second and she nodded, she already knew this part but she let him continue.

"But you see the problem with tests is... sometimes they fail. I was over at the Chocobo ranch the day the missiles fell from the sky, I was a stable hand with the dreams of being a breeder one day, a thirteen year old kid with a dream of being the first person to ever breed a real golden Chocobo."

Kunsel shook his head and huffed a short bitter laugh before continuing.

"Apparently the missiles malfunctioned and lost connection... something like that, Shinra did away with most of the people involved in the failure so I could never find out for sure."

It was at this point that Kunsel paused and Cissnei noticed his hands resting on the window ledge clench, nearly cracking the entire wall.

"When I returned the whole place was on fire, President Shinra really meant it when he said he would burn Wutai to the ground for refusing the treaty. Everything was covered in this stuff called paralose, otherwise known as 'sticky-fire' and no matter how hard I tried to put people out, they just wouldn't stop burning."

The window ledge finally cracked in a loud splintering snap and Cissnei stood up quickly to place her arms around him but he held his hand up.

"I'm ok" he took a deep breath and continued. "After I realized I couldn't help those who were already alight, I ran around trying as hard as I could to find my house and get my mom and two sisters out of there... but everything was so covered in smoke and with that much fire everything starts to look the same. I couldn't see properly, I couldn't see anything so I started going into every building that I could. I kept finding people trapped in their homes, most of them passed out and as much as I wanted to I couldn't just leave them... so I pulled them out. I wasn't trying to be a hero, I was just a young kid trying to find his family."

From the broken edge of his voice Cissnei knew where this was going and she felt her heart bleed out for him on the spot and hot tears sting at her eyes. It was crushing to see the same pain that she had endured in her own childhood so vividly amplified in another person she had come to care about.

"I eventually found my house, after dragging twenty-one strangers I couldn't give a damn about from theirs. The only way I could even tell it was my house was because of the markings on the door, we used to do this thing where my mom measured me and my sisters height every year and mark it… you know the kind of cheesy family thing I'm talking about."

Cissnei couldn't resist anymore, she ran over to Kunsel and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

Tears fell down her face and onto his back which he felt and turned around to face her with a sorrow in his face that looked far beyond tears.

"I tried to get the door open Rekka but I couldn't, something had caved in on the other side and I wasn't strong enough to move it, I could hear my youngest sister Lara screaming but I couldn't get in. I watched the place burn to the ground with them inside until eventually one of the guys I saved came back and pulled me out before I burned to. His name was Dio, a traveller from Mideel who was exploring the world to make his fortune, he'd only stopped off in Kalm for the night."

"Oh Kunsel I'm sorry! I'm sorry I asked!" she close to bawled and hugged him like it would make any kind of difference. "But none of that makes you a bad person, none of that was your fault!"

She stared up at him with wet eyes and he massaged a hand to her cheek.

"It was what I did afterwards that was the bad part. You see I couldn't live with myself, knowing that if I had been faster I would have got to them in time. Or if I had been stronger I would have got that door open. Or if I could have seen better or heard them screaming sooner I would have found my home in time and got them all out. If I'd of only had all the things that mako gives you."

"So that's why you became a SOLDIER?"

He shook his head, "The exact opposite, I travelled to Midgar and found out that Shinra were behind the attack, after that I was so full of hatred and for years I swore I would get revenge and kill every last SOLDIER and Shinra employee, I swore I would burn every last building of theirs to the ground. Problem is I still needed mako enhancements but there was no way I would ever join SOLDIER to get them… and when you have no money and no connections either, you're really only left with one other option."

Cissnei's head spun out of control, could it really be? She never fully believed Kunsel when he said it, but could someone as kind and caring as Kunsel really have as dark and tainted a past as she had? Cissnei was almost too afraid to ask but she did anyway.

"Sector gangs?"

He nodded and she fought back the natural urge to outwardly show her alarm.

"Sector five, I joined them when I was fourteen and well… you know better than anyone how it works, they don't just give you your enhancements, you have to earn them. For two straight years I did anything they told me to, shifted whatever need shifting, beat people who they needed beating... I even killed people. I'm exactly the kind of person you've spent most of your life hunting Rekka."

Cissnei couldn't deny she was beyond shocked, almost to the point that she couldn't believe that what he saying was true because one thing still didn't make sense.

"I don't understand, if you hated Shinra and SOLDIER so much, how did you become one?"

"Well by the time I was sixteen I'd sold enough of my soul to earn my enhancements, though these weren't exactly your normal 'safe' or 'decent quality' kind of enhancements. They were some dirty cheap black market crap that had me screaming for weeks and nearly killed me, that's why my eyes are different."

Tear's rolled down Cissnei's face and she took Kunsel by the hand to sit them down on the bed together. To know that the gorgeous eyes she had fallen in love with were created under such horrific circumstances hurt her, to know that whenever she had looked in his eyes or told him how beautiful they were, she had been reminding him of his past each and every time.

"Long story short, after that I joined a group of like-minded people, doing everything we could to get our revenge, ambushing squads of SOLDIER, blowing stuff up, causing havoc. I suppose you could say we were our own violent breed of AVALANCHE, but none of what we did was ever enough, not for me at least. I could never do enough damage, I could never hit them as hard as I wanted to. That's when I came up with a plan to get into the company and blow up the SOLDIER headquarters from the inside. I faked my way in at cadet level, bribed the company doctor to overlook my enhancements. That's why I rarely took my helmet off, it became something of a habit."

Cissnei swallowed. "So what stopped you going through with it?"

"I met Zack. I had only been there for two days and well... you know Zack, he has this crazy way of growing on you real quick."

She nodded, she could certainly attest to that.

"I got attached so then the plan changed to blowing up the camp while getting Zack out safe. Then through Zack I met Angeal and it changed to blowing up the camp while getting Zack and Angeal out safe. Then despite my efforts to keep my distance I got to know more and more people, SOLDIER's like Killian and Genesis, doctors like Maya and Shalua, even Sephiroth himself and from there everything changed. Little by little I saw that there was good in SOLDIER, that there was honor, I saw that killing them would change nothing because it was the corrupt leaders of Shinra who were the real enemy. I learned to see that there was a difference between Shinra and SOLDIER and that's when I decided I wouldn't destroy SOLDIER, I would save it. That's why I'm here and that's what I fight for."

Sitting beside Kunsel as he finished what could only amount to being a heart-breaking confession, Cissnei had her arm tucked around his neck and was stroking her hand lightly through the back of his soft mousy-brown hair. She knew how much it had taken for him to confide in her and she wanted nothing more than to return the same trust in him with her past but not tonight, tonight she would be here for no one else but him.

"I told you it wasn't pretty" his voice and gaze dropped with shame.

"It doesn't change the way I see or feel about you, after what you had been through, after what you was made to see, a lot of people would have done what you did."

Cissnei was still struggling to stabilise her emotions, she knew what it was like to watch your family die, it was something that no combination of words could put voice to.

"No they wouldn't, they wouldn't do the things I've done. I'm a murderer Rekka…"

She shook her head and palmed the side of his cheek desperately to try and get him to face her.

"Don't say that… please don't say that."

She couldn't handle hearing that because if he was a murderer, then by the same merit so was she. Cissnei knew what she was and it was a truth she still wasn't ready to face.

"I've never told any of this to anyone, not even Zack and it's because of him I'm still alive. I didn't want to, I didn't want you or anyone to know that I'm the scum you've spent your whole career cleaning up… because why would you… why would anyone want to know me after that?"

"Because I love you."

The words fell from Cissnei as easy as breathing and Kunsel soon succumbed to the pull of her hand and faced her. He stared at her as if to check that he had heard her correctly and she held his stare tenderly back to wordlessly tell him he had. It was a split second of close face to face connection that ignited the spark, a spark that had been growing between them exponentially ever since the moment he climbed into the helicopter she had stolen from Rufus Shinra.

They met together simultaneously, warm bodies colliding sensually into contact and battling mouths fought to keep pace with one another as Cissnei knelt up onto the bed to let her affection for him spill out like a burst dam. Kunsel had given her so much and now she wanted to show that she could give back but Cissnei failed miserably as she stole the flavour of his mouth into hers with a greedy, almost hungry passion because in all the kisses they had shared together, he had never tasted this good before. At long last she had found someone she could not only tell her darkest secrets to, but someone who could TRULY understand them. At last she had found someone she didn't need to hide away from, someone she could love without guilt. For the first time in her adult life she felt free and it inspired her to act on her desires.

Passionately making out Cissnei pushed against Kunsel's shoulders what would have been lightly but knowing a SOLDIER's strength well she drove her slight frame against him hard so together they could fall into the soft cloud-like comfort of the bed covers. With Cissnei laid on top of Kunsel, lips still pressed to his, she gazed into loving eyes. Regardless of how he got those eyes she would adore them nonetheless, they were a part of him just like his stylish roughed up hairstyle that never got messy no matter how hard she clenched her hands through it or his roguish smile that was forever coaxing the girlish side out of her.

As wide awake as she could be, the petite female Turks senses became impossibly heightened while she laid her body down onto his, intimately feeling every movement that the powerful muscled body beneath her made. Being with Kunsel like this, their feet interlocking in the covers, the sounds he made in his throat as she touched muscular parts of his body that had been tempting her all day, it all drove Cissnei to the edge of a cliff but it was his tongue entering her mouth like it had in the gold saucer that finally pushed her over. Grabbing the base of his dark navy t-shirt that was already slightly torn from where a Dual Horn had impaled his backpack earlier, she lifted it, breaking away from the combined tangling of tongues and straddling him upright to pull it off completely and discard it across the room. The sight of the sculpted torso pinned between her legs flicked a very basic primal switch within her and Cissnei's heart began to pound. He let her stare for a moment, then sat up, their chests becoming pressed together as he drew right up close to her with that playful smile, making her pleased that for once it was she who had lifted his spirit.

"You perv" he seductively goaded.

She smirked for the briefest instance but then Cissnei's heart climbed into her throat as she felt a firm hand slap against her backside, making her gasp loudly at the intensity of the unexpected wave of sensation that it gave her.

Feeling bashful at her audible outburst and that he had nearly made her reach her tipping point with a simple spank she looked down at something, anything that wasn't sparkling eyes or defined body to try and calm her embarrassingly heavy breathing.

"Don't fight it" he urged into her ear as he kissed at her collar-bone and she nodded, feeling her body relax at the whim of his voice.

Knowing what she wanted next Cissnei began fumbling with the buttons of her own black sleeveless shirt, getting three undone before the anticipation got the better of her and with a bit of help from Kunsel she yanked the rest overhead with the buttons still done up. She watched him giddily as he eyed her with an equal lust to what she had looked at him with. This wasn't the first time they had come this far and she knew from the way he looked at her outlined stomach the effect it had on him. It sky-rocketed her confidence and self-image to know that her body could have that kind of effect on another person and she wanted to show him more. Crossing her arms and reaching for her modest sports-bra that was also black, she lifted it overhead in front of him and let it fall along with her flame-orange hair. Now Cissnei had worked an entire career around reading into people's facial expressions, but never had she thought she would be using that talent to look for approval in the eyes of a SOLDIER she planned to make her lover. To her great pleasure though, even the untrained eye could see that he liked what he saw and giggling with a small blush she forced him back down into the covers again.

"Perv."

He laughed at this and rolled them over so he was on top and stared down at the hazel-eyed women who knew that she was glowing.

"I love you."

Cissnei nearly began crying when she heard that, she had gone countless years without crying! Gosh this was not the time to cry! She was just so happy right now.

Spreading her hands around him she pulled Kunsel down by his thick shoulder blades so that he was no longer bridging himself over her and began kissing the SOLDIER again, revelling in the feeling of their bare torso's becoming squashed together and the groves of his body as they rubbed against her. Then she trembled as she felt his hand travel in between her legs, but it was the perfect kind of trembling and Cissnei kissed her way to place her lips at Kunsel's ear, knowing he wouldn't take things further than this unless she cued it.

She never thought she would be ready for this, she never thought she could get over the stigma of believing she was damaged goods but now she was here, she knew it was right and ironically she couldn't wait for it any longer.

"I'm ready."

Cissnei couldn't keep the nerves from her voice or from her hands as she reached in between them and tackled at the dark Kevlar-like material of his trousers and he responded by moving the hand that was already there to open the front of her smart black trousers with far more composure than she had. She kicked the rest of what he wore down with her feet and he took a more delicious approach, spreading kisses across her hips and legs as he slowly slid her trousers down. It was like having your favourite food placed in your mouth and being told not to eat it, it was too much temptation to handle and before her trousers had even had a chance to leave her ankles she grabbed him back again.

Cissnei held on tight and buried her face into the crook of his neck, her world had always revolved around being in control but now she would hand herself over to him completely.

When it finally happened it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Sharp at first but quickly lead to a new level of breathless euphoria where she didn't know up from down or left from right and nothing existed but the two of them. It was bliss, it was unity and Cissnei had always cringed when she heard it said in the past but now she understood exactly what people meant when they said that two people could be made for each other.


	41. Quick discernment

**Chapter 41 Part 1- Quick discernment**

"H-I-I-I-I-I-YAAAAAAAA!"

Zack flipped around to meet an airborne Yuffie Kisaragi's four point Shuriken head on, the thick of his blade meeting thin steel as she pounced from the grass with a speed that would spell the end for most lesser trained opponents. They had been sparring for some time now and the determined little ninja was breathing heavier but was regulating it exceptionally well and followed her assault up with five quick nimble slashes. Zack met each attack with a loud series of clangs and when his defence didn't break a long single knee-length boot kicked off against the flat of his sword and the energetic princess was away again, scampering off into the grass to use her strength of stealth to full effect.

They had stopped off close to the borders of the Cosmo region after driving throughout the night and all of this morning and the break had been as good a time as any for Zack to give Yuffie another one of the training sessions he had promised her when they were locked up in Junon together. Plus the combat really seemed to help the girl who had been utterly miserable the entire buggy ride with her travel sickness.

Zack held his dark blue blade out in front of him with both hands, turning in slow circles and listening out carefully, nodding his approval at the way his opponent blurred and disguised the sound of her movements through the grass. Yuffie was cunningly clever and she was quick, knowing when to engage and retreat and how to adapt to her opponent. She was even smart enough to use the position of the sun to her advantage, choosing to escape in its direction so the glorious close to mid-day rays momentarily blinded him and made him lose sight of her.

Zack had no doubt in his mind that his officially appointed partner in crime would one day become deadly and on par with even the best of SOLDIER.

"AAAAHHHA! TAKE THAT MISTER SPIKEY SLOW POKE!"

... and yet, for now she was young and still had so much to learn.

Zack turned and swatted the bullet fast Shuriken from the air with one loud twang as it boomeranged towards his face then returned to its owner.

"You're never going to catch your opponent by surprise if you keep announcing your attacks Yuff"

"BUT IT'S NO FUN OTHERWISE! NNNNNYYYACK!"

Grass parted and a whirlwind of special attacks came out in an unnaturally quick flurry that took him by surprise and drastically made Zack up his swordplay and the speed of his parries. The sly ninja was using double-cut materia, a materia that Yuffie had never possessed before and Red had coincidentally lost from his silver barrette hairpin two days ago while travelling through the Corel mountains.

He'd pull her up on that later.

"Oh we're playing like that now are we?"

"What's the matter Zackey boy? Can't keep up?"

The miniature warrior hacked and danced around him in close quarters, trying to stay out of his line of sight as their weapons came together over and over again in an unrelenting exchange of blades. It was hard to resist smiling at skill and determination like this being wielded by a teenager, she looked adorable when she fought and even though that was a strength for Yuffie because it often lead enemies to underestimate her, he would never tell that to her face. Zack valued his balls and didn't fancy waking up one morning to some horrendous and embarrassing fate like being suspended from a tree... or with pink hair. The wrath of Yuffie could be a terrible and unpredictable force.

"Fine let's step this up"

Zack ramped up the speed of his swings to tip the balance of dominance in his favour and before long another boot was placed against his blade.

"Nu-uh, I don't think so"

His hand shot, grabbed the princess by the belt of her shorts and pulled her back making Yuffie yelp.

"Hey pervert! Quit trying to sneak a peek will ya!"

"Well perhaps you should try doing them up for once?"

Yuffie blew a raspberry and Zack struck her Shuriken with his sword hard enough to make the girl recoil, "and stop relying so heavily on your escape to always work"

Recovering from her backwards stagger Yuffie composed herself, nodded, jumped back in to attack and the dance was on again.

"Good, keep it coming"

"A dose of totally awesome babe coming right up!

"Keep your heels down"

"Got it!"

"Work on the under-hands, you're not a lumberjack"

"Not a lumberjack!"

"Patterns Yuffie! Enemies like patterns, enemies use patterns"

"Patterns bad, roger!"

"And don't let your opponent lead your footsteps…"

In perfect timing Yuffie's boot landed unevenly upon a raised mound of dirt that Zack had slowly been leading her towards and with her well-practised balance slightly off, Zack had the perfect opportunity to do exactly what Angeal had done to him a thousands times over and teach his student another lesson. He moved in, hooked his leg behind Yuffie's and with one small flick she was on her back with a heavy crash.

"Oooph!"

"… because a skilled enemy will also use that against you"

"Owch… that sucked"

Zack stepped over the temporarily winded girl sprawled on the floor and pointed his sword down.

"And now you're dead"

"Ooooooooooh! No fair!"

"Zack Fair actually"

Chuckling he moved to officially tap the grounded princess out with the side of his sword but the persistant princess twisted into a sudden roll, kicked him in the shin and with a handful of grass and dirt to the face, Zack recoiled and flipped away to safety of his own.

"I'm the great ninja warrior princess! No one can defeat me!"

Yuffie took off across the field, doing her funny looking Wutai ninja sprint with head low and arms spread wide which made Zack laugh and give chase.

"You can run all you like Princess! You're not getting away from me on those scrawny legs!"

Flying through blades of knee-length grass Yuffie began to zig-zag.

"Hey! Stop looking at my legs or I'll tell Aerith on you!"

"Be my guest!"

"I will! Pinko will be so mad!"

"I don't think so! Because you'll be eating dirt in!"

"NO!

"Three!"

"Zack no!"

"Two!"

"Eek!"

"One!"

"BESTEST BUD SAVE ME! WAKE UP!"

Yuffie jumped through the air, somersaulting over the form of Red who was slumbering in the grass and emerged from the floor in sleepy confusion.

"… huh?"

Zack's eyes widened and he tried jumping to but hadn't noticed their waking companion in time to avoid colliding a boot into the side of Red's body who let out a animalistic yelp.

Aerith who was fondly watching the lively scene from afar broke into audible laughter as Zack stumbled along wildly at a sprint, trying desperately not to face plant the ground while Red jumped around in a state of panic as to whether they were under attack or not.

_"Sorry buddy!"_

_"Ahahaha, SUCKERS!"_

_"You're gonna get it now princess!"_

_"Zack, why are we running?"_

Aerith hugged her knees to her body, sat on a beautifully warm rocky outcrop, smiling down at the scene of Zack chasing down a hysterically cackling Yuffie with Red bounding questioningly close behind.

_"Best of luck with that Francis!"_

_"Just keep digging that grave Yuffie!"_

She watched the youngest member of the group dash away into the forest on the far side of the field and disappear up into the treeline. Then giggled as Red and Zack looked at each other, nodded in unity and cautiously entered the ninja's stronghold on super high alert.

_"You're in my domain now minions! MUAHAHAHA! Nyak Nyak Nyak!"_

Aerith shook her head and wondered with amusement what condition they would emerge from the tricksters lair.

She sighed, the moment was perfect. The warm sun was burning pleasantly down on her skin, everyone seemed happy, Kunsel and Cissnei were away but at least they were safe and the voice of the planet was sounding more calm than she had ever heard it before in the untainted beauty of the Cosmo region. More than anything she had Zack back in her life and not a day went by since his return that she didn't remember or feel thankful for that. The happiness she felt with him and from where their relationship was right now was almost overwhelming, she could even feel Zack now in the pull of the bracer on her wrist.

"You really love him don't you?"

Long legs and small black shorts appeared at her side and the Cetra flower girl looked up at Tifa who was smiling kindly down at her with her head tilted to the side in affectionate observation. Aerith nodded with certainty, a big shy grin spreading from ear to ear as she shuffled over to let the dark brunette sit comfortably beside her.

"I do, I really do. There was a time when I never thought I'd get to feel this again. After eighty-nine little letters that I wrote when Zack was missing, I eventually gave up hope"

Aerith's stomach twisted into happy knots at the sound of crazed and excited shouting coming from the forest.

"I know it probably sounds silly, but I believed I would never find someone I'd love like that ever again, that we only had that one truly special person out there for us and I'd lost mine forever"

"No… no that doesn't sound silly at all"

"Mmm. Now I have Zack and so many wonderful friends, sometimes it feels like I've known you all an entire lifetime"

Tifa's hand slid into hers and squeezed, both women enjoying the view of the warm summer grassland and the tall red rocky peaks of Cosmo Canyon standing attractively on the horizon.

"I get that feeling to at times. We've been through a lot together. Aerith... I'm so thankful for the day you two walked in the bar. No matter what, among all the regrets that I have, I want you to know you're not one of them. I'll always be glad that I met you and Zack"

Aerith bumped her shoulder against the martial artists before she could well-up.

"Don't Teef, you know I'm terrible"

The ex-barmaid laughed and nodded.

"Yes you are. That's what's so wonderful about you"

Aerith blushed.

"You really are trying to make me cry aren't you? Well it's all thanks to Cloud, he's the reason we walked into seventh heaven that day. The promise Zack made to Cloud to tell you that he was thinking of you was what brought us all together, we have a lot to thank him for"

The fighters large chest rose and fell in one big breath, a peaceful smile on her face as she looked up to the crystal clear skyline.

"Oh Cloud. He always dreamed of being a hero, ever since we were kids and his silly spikey hair was almost as tall as he was. I wish that you could meet him, I think he'd like you, I think he'd like everyone"

The green-eyed flower girl bowed her head.

"Yeah… I think I would to"

Aerith wanted to tell Tifa that she had already met Cloud, that he was with her people, guiding her and protecting her from afar from a fate he had refused to tell her about but she couldn't. She figured it wouldn't be fair for Tifa to know that she had been able to speak with the man the fighter loved because her Cetra powers had gone haywire after saving Kunsel's life. Had the tables been turned, knowing Zack was out there but not being able to reach out to him herself would have been crushing for her.

_"Dat ain't tight enough"_

_"Yes it is"_

_"Na na na it ain't sittin right"_

_"B seriously! Who's the engineer around here?"_

_"Ya'll doin' it wrong!"_

_"You trust me with your arm now back off and stick to the oils before I turn your gun into a glitter canon"_

They both turned to where Jessie and Barret were over in the field together under the hood of the buggy, battling over unnecessary maintenance works on their thus far reliable mode of transport.

"Thanks to you Jessie's awake and looking back to her normal self" Tifa murmured, her eyes focusing on the young red-head flickering with relief and sadness combined.

The female engineer had slept for close to fifteen hours straight and Aerith had used a lot of energy treating her injuries along with Tifa's, Barret's and a boost of help to top off Zack's mako. The condition they had all emerged from the Corel prison had been terrible, the stories of what had happened down there had been worse. The way that Barret was managing to put on such a brave face after what had happened with his friend Dyne, Aerith was finding it both admirable and sad. The story of what had happened between Jessie and Reno on the other hand was shocking and Aerith could tell it was the source of Tifa's current troubled expression.

"It wasn't your fault, Jess getting taken like that, or um… kissing Reno, any of it"

Tifa watched on in silence for some time, her dark chocolate iris' trembling as her two oldest and dearest friends worked away together like nothing had happened. When she spoke her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I should have known ever since she got that electro-mag rod that something was going on. Why didn't she tell me? It's hard enough with Barret keeping everything to himself, but Jessie to? Where am I going wrong? Why can't they talk to me?"

"Teef you're being too hard on yourself. It isn't you, Jessie probably didn't know how she felt herself, she probably didn't want to accept that she had begun liking a Turk. You can't blame yourself for this"

Aerith squeezed the fingers of the hand that was intertwined with hers reassuringly.

"So what should I do? He's a Turk and he's dangerous, not to mention cocky with the worse kind of reputation. He'll only hurt her, I know it and I can't let that happen"

Aerith thought about her answer quietly for a while and in that time only one person came to her mind.

"You're probably right about Reno and I know this might not be what you want to hear…"

"Please, say it" Tifa implored, turning to face her square on.

"There is nothing you can do. Jessie will just have to find out what kind of person he is for herself, even if that does mean she has to get hurt. I know that because people used to say the similar things to me about Tseng, that he was dangerous and that I needed to avoid him. I didn't listen and looking back it would seem like they were all right… and yet… even if I could go back, I know I wouldn't change anything"

The twenty year old fighter looked baffled, "but he hurt you and lied to you, he kidnapped you and handed you in to Shinra… twice!"

"I know… but did he really?"

"What do you mean?"

Aerith exhaled and shifted her knees closer to herself, "I think about those moments that he hurt me all the time, I keep replaying them in my head and the more I think about them the more I can't help feeling that perhaps he wasn't really trying to do that after all. Maybe I'm just being a fool but I can't help feeling that perhaps he does really care for me and there's something that I'm just missing"

Tifa frowned, "I don't understand"

"It's things like the way he helped my mom and Marlene get to Kalm, or the way he saved me from the Midgar Zolom, or when he found us in the train graveyard and was still carrying all the letters I wrote for Zack. Or all the years he came to visit me himself, always himself, never anyone else. We would talk for hours sometimes, sure he would mostly just listen, but not always. Why would he do any of those things if I was nothing more than a mission to him?"

"Well saving you from the Zolom's easy enough, they needed you alive and Rufus Shinra was also at risk of being killed"

"Yeah, I can always think of reasons like that to, but then there's the smaller things, the things that play on my mind the most. Like the way his face looked when I arrived home after escaping sector seven. He was there waiting for me and it's hard to tell with Tseng but I know he looked genuinely relieved"

"He probably was, he had been sent by Shinra to capture you and seeing you alive meant he could scratch another successful mission off the board"

"But then he hugged me… I mean I know I hugged him first but it was… it didn't seem… it felt real!"

Aerith was beginning to feel frustrated that she couldn't put any logical or coherent explanation as to the reason she believed Tseng had not betrayed her and if she was honest with herself it was because none existed. All her reasoning's came down to nothing more than feelings and an illogical faith that their relationship together since as long as she could remember had been about something more than a company assignment.

"Aerith, I didn't realize you cared this much about a Turk. You… actually miss him, don't you?"

She nervously played with the bracer at her wrist, knowing that this was the reason Jessie didn't tell anyone about Reno, not hating a Turk felt like something to be ashamed of.

"I'm sorry!" Tifa blurted out hastily, "I shouldn't have asked that. You don't have to tell me anything. I'm always the one saying you should trust what you feel and now here I am trying to force you to think otherwise. Now I think about it I even bad mouthed Reno right in front of Jessie what must have been about a hundred times. No wonder she didn't want to speak to me. Me and my big mouth"

The ex-barmaid dropped her face and placed both her hands to the side of her head despondently. Aerith laid her hand gently onto the woman's shoulder.

"Tifa it's ok. The truth is I do miss him, Tseng was a big part of my life growing up. I can't simply undo the way I feel about him even if he did mean to hurt me"

"Then don't" Tifa started firmly, looking up from the ground to meet her gaze. "Before we left Midgar, before meeting Zack and Kunsel, before Reno saved Jessie and Rude risked his neck to help me in a fight, I branded all SOLDIER's and Turks as evil because Nibelheim made me feel that way. Now everything's beginning to blur and I'm not so sure anymore. I mean look at Cissnei, when she arrived at our base we almost might have attacked her had Zack not stepped in. Now I have no hesitation to call her my friend, she even saved Marlene's life. I've been wrong so many times that I have no right to judge anyone anymore"

Tifa took her hand again, both of them this time.

"So I'm not going try and influence Jessie to stay away from Reno, I'll let her make her own decision and support her regardless... and I'll never try to tell you that what you think or feel about Tseng is wrong again, I promise"

The martial artists expression was so sincere that Aerith really did begin to tear up this time.

"I just want both of you to know that no matter what happens or where this journey takes us, I will always be here for you. You're my family, both of you"

"I swear you're just doing it on purpose now!" Aerith choked with rivering eyes.

"Dilly dally shilly shally" Tifa replied with lashes that weren't terribly dry themselves.

The two woman hugged. The biggest, squishiest, squeeziest and most wonderful hug that Aerith had had since saying goodbye to her mom and Marlene back in Kalm.

"Thank you Teef"

"No, thank you"

They stayed that way together for many long unrushed minutes until Tifa squeezed her strong arms around Aerith's mid-riff harder until they were crushingly tight and they both broke into a bout of laughter.

"Now what do you say we go give Yuffie a little helping hand?"

The martial artist untangled herself from their hug, stood up and held out her palm invitingly, a friendly and cheerful gleam in her eye with a small hint of mischief.

"After all, us girls have got to stick together"

* * *

**Chapter 41 Part 2-** **Quick discernment**

"You mean to tell me that Fair not only has the ancient but that blasted stone to now?"

"Correct. I got in contact with two of my operatives this morning, Reeve was unable to deliver as promised and defected second class SOLDIER Kunsel Haringer handed him the runestone"

Rufus Shinra raised his eyebrow, stepping away from the door of the meeting with twenty-two corporate and military high-ups that Tseng had pulled him from.

"This is most disappointing. Along with Heidegger and Scarlet still breathing and a prized airship being stolen from under our nose this is becoming tedious"

"The airship is irrelevant to me, the rest will be dealt with in due time"

"See to it that it is"

The leader of the Turks uncrossed his arms in perfectly disguised annoyance.

"May I remind you that two of my operatives have been shot in this mess, one of them hospitalized"

"And one of them is running around with AVALANCHE as we speak and yet I have seen no attempt on your behalf to reign her in"

"Cissnei is no threat for now"

"I disagree, they are all threats. You forget that I have been among them, I know how they work and I want them stopped"

"I will not be using my agents as foot soldiers Rufus, we seize opportunities when they arrive, we do not force them"

Rufus pushed back the fringe of his smartly combed blonde hair and nodded with sly approval.

"You have played this game a long time Tseng, I have faith that you know what you are doing"

"We are in control of it. For now the fight that broke out in Midgar has been an advantage for us, such a close assassination attempt has sent Heideggar and Scarlet into hiding so it did have its merits. Reno and Rude have reported that the runestone and AVALANCHE are on their way to Cosmo and that it's most likely they will stop off to seek advice from the village elder their, I've pulled them off to follow a lead on huge materia at the underwater reactor for now. As for Cissnei, she is allowing Reeve's toy to track her and Haringer north, so at least for now we are aware of their whereabouts"

The president smirked.

"It seems you have everything in order"

"Almost, Jenova and Sephiroth remain wild cards and rumours of Genesis Rhapsodos are unconfirmed but one thing remains clear from the failed experiment that Reno and Rude came into contact with at Dio's amusement park. They want what Zack Fair now has and that puts AVALANCHE at risk"

"Good, let them kill each other. As long as we are there to take the prize at the end of it all then we have a refreshing opportunity not to get our hands dirty. Losing the runestone might just work in our favour"

"I agree. However AVALANCHE being at risk also puts the ancient at risk"

_A risk that he was not willing to allow a group who had failed to protect Aerith from a Midgar Zolom let alone Sephiroth to take._

"Hmmm, you think he has an interest in the Cetra girl?"

"Sephiroth and the wandering specimens have all been reported to have spoken about the promised land, I have no doubt he has some sort of plan for her. What that plan is, I think it would be firmly within our interests not to find out"

"Indeed, I assume you have a plan in mind?"

"Of sorts" Tseng shrugged.

"Very well, make it happen. Now if you excuse me, I have plans on flushing those rodents out of Midgar to finalize"

A simple nod and the Wutain Turk director left for his next appointment. One that was long overdue.

"Hey Tseng"

He turned back to see the president's top half hanging from the open doorway.

"Sir?"

"Not that you don't look pretty or anything, but why may I ask are you carrying flowers?"

He looked at the large multi-coloured bouquet in his hands plainly.

"A professional tradition… supposedly"

"… oh I see, good. For a minute I was worried you might be chasing tail there Tseng and finally getting yourself a love life" Rufus laughed it up and slicked back his hair again. "That would have been amusing. Inconvenient, but amusing"

The door closed behind the white-suited president.

_Amusing indeed_

Satisfied with the outcome of his meeting with Rufus, Tseng left the main headquarters building and made his way down to the harbour. The temperature outside was not far-off Costa Del Sol's and the streets of Junon were flowing with civilian life that was gradually returning to normal after a turbulent period of military lock down. The ocean that stretched out from the 'giant cannon city' glittered under the peaked sun but Tseng looked away from it into the rows of busy shops instead. The sea held too many dark memories for him, it was the endless void that had nearly taken his life when the people he once called his own turned their backs on him and cast him out like an animal. But that was an entire lifetime ago and for the rest of the walk he did not allow himself to dwell on the matter.

When Tseng arrived at his destination on the more expensive stretch of the town, even he was glad for the blast of cool air that greeted him as the large glass double doors slid open automatically. It would seem even a Wutain heritage was not enough to make a black suit in this summer heat tolerable.

"Good morning sir... *hee hee* oh silly me I mean afternoon! Doesn't time just fly? And isn't this absolutely the most lovely weather we are having? *hee hee* How may I help you sir?"

Tseng flashed his ID card at the over-enthusiastic young red-headed female stood on reception who instantly sobered up to a less giggly and far more serious demeanour.

"Oh! Oh I see. Yes I'll get someone right away. If you'd like to… No! Sorry! No of course you don't want to wait, I shouldn't make you wait. I err… I'll take you myself! Yes! That's what I'll do. Of course... let me just get…"

The fiercely stammering and now red-faced girl frantically rifled about behind the desk for the appropriate patient file and Tseng's eyes closed momentarily when the thud and splash of a glass of liquid met his ears.

"AHH!.. Ooooh no no no! Not good! I'll quickly mop this… No! Stupid me this can wait!"

Tseng leaned over the counter and plucked the luckily dry clipboard from the floundering Junon girls hands.

"I will manage fine by myself Miss Talia, you take care of this. Just point me left or right"

"Uh right. Down there, one-o-seven two corridors along… are you sure you can find it?..."

"Positive"

"Gee I'm sorry for being such an air-head sir, I'm just not used to Turks…", the mortified girl slapped two hands over her mouth. "…AHH! Not that I'm saying your one out loud or anything! Oh no! Please tell me I didn't just blow your cover or anything!?"

"Perhaps, I will need you to keep your eyes peeled"

Tseng nodded his head gravely and left the junior nurse dramatically looking around the smart marble reception of the private hospital for all of Gaia's most elusive spy's.

His smartly heeled shoes echoed with a satisfying clop all the way to room one-o-seven and Tseng waved his hand at the third class SOLDIER posted outside.

"Take a break SOLDIER, one hour"

"Sir! Much appreciated sir!"

Tseng took one last opportunity before entering the room to observe the flowers in his hand and scowled at the bent stem of one of the five roses within the mixed bunch that someone had broken after not watching where they were going back in the town.

"And take this with you"

Tseng handed the single crimson plant to the SOLDIER.

"Sir!... um thank you sir…"

Tseng entered the room quietly in the possible but unlikely event that the rooms occupant was sleeping.

"I told you not to keep bothering me damn it!"

He smirked, _feisty as always_.

"My apologies, I did not receive that message"

"SIR!?" Elena shrieked, sitting up straighter in bed with a jolt that made her try to hide a painful wince. "Sir!… what are you doing here!?"

The extremely light blonde woman and officially youngest and newest member of his Turk's clawed at her appearance, shoving one silky bare leg that was on view under the covers along with her torso and chest that were intermittently concealed in nothing but tightly wrapped bandages.

Tseng walked into the room, casually observing its quality and suitability.

"I came to check on your well-being"

The wide-eyed female clutching the blanket up to her neck swallowed.

"You… came to visit me?"

"Yes"

Her expression softened.

"I… I didn't think that you would…"

"It is standard procedure"

"Oh… of course! Standard procedure… obviously"

He flicked his eyes over his agent, _was she talking to him or the bed covers?_

"... and are the flowers… standard procedure sir?"

"As the majority of us our male and neither Cissnei nor Shotgun were ever hospitalized to this extent, I would say that remains to be decided"

Elena squeezed her eyes closed in unmistakable shame.

"I bet… I'm sure Cissnei or Clarissa never failed the same way I did"

"From Legends mission report your performance was faultless, Heideggar and Scarlet were better prepared than we were informed so this would have happened to anyone"

"But it didn't!" she passionately broke, almost making it up onto her knees. "It was me, I failed! It was my first real big mission and I failed! I let you down sir!"

Tseng placed the flowers that had become an unpleasant and garish extension of his arm down on the side table next to her bed.

"Elena, first rule of being a successful Turk is not to dwell on past missions, successful or otherwise"

"But…!"

"There are no buts to that rule" he cut in patiently, not making eye contact. "There are no exceptions"

Elena eventually nodded and squared her shoulders.

"I understand sir"

"Tseng. You don't have to call me sir"

She looked at him sharply as he neatly took the visitors seat a few feet away.

"Really?"

"You may call me whatever you like at this moment in time. You are out of uniform after all... and nearly everything else so it seems"

He eyeballed the covers momentarily in jest and was pleased to hear her light tuneful laugh and see Elena become slightly more at ease as a result.

"I think I'd be more comfortable sticking with sir, I'll fall into the habit if I start using anything else"

"Shame, I was looking forward to calling you Laney"

The Turk leader teased, expecting to earn another laugh out of her.

"You can call me Laney if you want to. I don't mind if it's you"

Tseng did his infamous eyebrow raise.

"If it's me?"

"Um… yeah you… I mean I'm not saying just you! I'm saying anyone really!... As long as it's not Reno when he's intentionally trying to be an asshole then I'm fine with it"

"I see, I will bare that in mind. You will probably be glad to hear then that he got shot then"

"Yeah I heard, shoulder weren't it?"

"Left"

Elena grinned.

"Again. I bet he was so disappointed"

"Undoubtedly"

"Ho boy, that's one messed up puppy you decided to adopt there sir. Makes you wonder how he's so damn good at his job. Getting shot in as many non-fatal part of the body as possible, that's one hell of an ambition. "

"Indeed" Tseng hummed flicking through Elena's heavy medical file, "and by the looks of this it is one you can now give him a run for his money on"

"Hey! Get your nose out of there!"

One of the many pillows on Elena's bed hit him square in the face.

"Too soon?"

Elena giggled, looking incredibly feminine as she tucked the one side of hair that hung down to shoulder length behind her ear and sat back again, "only slightly"

She smiled at him and in a rare occasion he found himself smiling back. She'd thrown a pillow at him and in one smile shown him the first real glimpse of the girl behind the ruthlessly career driven transfer he had taken over from special ops. By the nature of their work, moments like these where he got to speak and act so light-hearted around any of his Turks only happened once in a blue moon, but when they did Tseng could not deny that he enjoyed them and wished they could happen more often.

However as much as he'd like them to he would never indulge such a wish. It wasn't simply because he was their boss and felt he had a standard to set that Tseng took such a stand-offish approach towards leadership. Or even that they were all on completely different continents half the time. He had simply learned that keeping your distance in this profession was the best approach to take as becoming attached often had its way of coming back to bite you some place down the line.

Still, it was only once in blue moon and this was the most relaxed and open he had ever seen Elena that it was too great an opportunity to pass up. She had even forgotten about gripping the bed covers around herself, unknowingly exposing her tightly bound curves and giving him a view of some of her other injuries both old and new in bare areas that weren't serious enough for bandages. He made sure never to look at them straight on, she'd quickly clock him otherwise and become uncomfortable again.

"Thank you for the flowers sir, they're beautiful. No doubt I'll kill them in a few days but... they're beautiful"

"You're welcome, just get well soon"

"That's just it, I'm well already. I keep telling these damn doctors but they won't sign me off. I swear, I'll be breaking myself out if they leave me here much longer"

"You will do no such thing"

"But I'm ready to get back to work! I can't sit around all day like this, I'll go crazy!"

"You can if I order it"

"No please don't do that! I'm fully operational now, really I am"

Tseng shot her a doubtful expression and with gun drawing speed launched the pillow Elena had thrown at him back towards her at a point just above her head. Her hand went up on reflex and caught it, then slowly came back down with a hiss as she clutched at the bandaged area between her ribs and arm.

"Hey I never said it didn't hurt like a bitch... but at least I caught it" she half-simpered half-cringed sheepishly. "Come on sir! Surely there's something you can give me?"

Scanning his eyes over the stubborn females flawless light complexion and the beseeching look she gave him, the head of the department of administrative research considered his decision, knowing he indeed needed to give her something soon less he risk his Turk losing confidence.

"Very well, I have had one task in mind. If you don't mind simple babysitting that is"

"As long as it's not actual babies then I'm fine with that" Elena eagerly rose up, the disregarded covers slipping further to reveal the marks of recently removed stitches along the side of her hip, just above small plain white boxer short briefs that were screaming for his attention in the peripheral of his vision.

"I must stress that this is a no conflict observation only assignment where you will extract the target only if and when the opportunity arises and under my say so"

"Yes sir. I understand and I won't let you down"

Now the covers were thrown back entirely as the passionate female Turk made to get out of bed right then and there.

"And you will leave no sooner than two days from now after sleeping, eating, drinking and doing everything the doctors here tell you as if your life depended on it. That is not negotiable" he added at the end when Elena looked ready to object that she was well enough again.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel cared for sir" she quipped lightly. "Fine... two days. Can I ask who the target is?"

"Due to the groups profile I've already run this by the president, I need you to track down and attach yourself to Aerith Gainsborough"


	42. Loves timeline

**Chapter 42 Part 1- Loves timeline**

Waking up next to Kunsel, it had been no exaggeration to say that Cissnei had felt like a new woman. Actually in truth it was the first time she had felt so womanly in her life, but she guessed being naked with a man that way did that to a girl. Their night together, the night that she had given herself to him without hesitation had been so incredible that it was futile trying to put the experience into words. Somehow, on this insane and wacky journey, she had found and devoted herself to the one person on Gaia who had ever been capable of pulling on her heart strings, strings she thought were severed long ago. Kunsel made her feel in simple words, restrung.

Now for the first time she had real hope for a normal future, away from Turks and 'contacts', away from missions and fighting because for the first time she realized she no longer needed any of them anymore. With him by her side Cissnei had genuine hope the future, for redemption and belief that she could overcome this dark path Hojo had set her on to be free of her past once and for all.

Then there was the way he had made her 'physically' feel, the close skin on skin contact, the overwhelming waves of sensation, the hot satisfaction. The fiery haired female assassin cast her mind back fondly to that precious moment they escalated and peaked together, then fiercely blushed from her own vivid rampant thoughts.

That was another thing, blushing, when had she ever done that before he appeared in her life? She found that she liked it.

She knew now wholeheartedly that she had finally found her wings and who would have known they would come in the form of a tall, handsome and intelligent SOLDIER with a body to die for and a sense of humour that could make even a Turk laugh?

Cissnei sighed contently and grinned. How very convenient.

"Rekka you're doing it again"

Cissnei engaged her brain and frowned defensively at Kunsel who was scouting the horizon with his enhanced vision from atop a tall, loosely structured pile of boulders and rocks.

"No I wasn't" she lied, pretending she hadn't been caught staring at him for the hundredth time. "Hey hawk-eye, can you hurry it up? I'm freezing my ass off down here"

Cissnei pulled her nowhere-near-furry-enough fur lined coat around herself begrudgingly while her companion stood out in the blusterous elements in a single thin layer looking unaffected by the cold. The temperature had dropped rapidly, that meant they were getting close.

"I will if you stop eye-balling my backside" he replied lightly, narrowing his focused bi-colored orbs into the distance, the cold seeming to intensify their glow.

Cissnei gaped in modest shock, "I wasn't...! I'm not looking at your backside!"

"Don't deny it, like you want to sink your teeth into it" Kunsel looked down from his elevated position and bared his teeth teasingly, turning her gape into a grin. "It's very distracting"

"Hmmm" she growled low, picking a small stone out from the rocky formation and flicking it at the light brunette's head.

"Hey if it makes you feel any better Rekky" he began, jumping skilfully down from the outlook in one big leap to land deftly in front of her. "I'm looking at yours at least fifty percent of the time"

"You are?"

"Sure, why else do you think I keep randomly tripping over stuff?"

Cissnei cracked up for a moment, then a great idea came into her head.

"Really now" she advanced forward, slowly but firmly pushing herself against the swordsmen until he was trapped between her and the rocks. "What if I said it does?"

She rested her chest onto him and pressed her hips against their respective counterpart. Then Cissnei angled her face on a slant and set her hazel eyes directly on his neck, lightly running her index finger across the area and taking great pleasure in seeing him swallow.

"... eh?"

"What if I said it makes me feel much better…" she lifted her eyes on to his, "knowing that you're looking at me?"

"Do you?... I mean d-does it?"

She nearly giggled. He stammered, she had never heard Kunsel stammer before and it was beyond cute, yet somehow made him seem even manlier and more irresistible.

Cissnei nodded slyly, placed her hands on either side of his soft warm hair and stood up on her tip-toes to move her lips next to his ear. A little over two weeks ago she was running away scared from a kiss on the lips, now she was enjoying the playful role of seductress. She was discovering many new things about herself that she enjoyed lately.

"Do you know what would make me feel even better though?" she whispered, making her words as hot and breathy as she could.

Kunsel didn't muster a response but his frozen suspended hands found the courage to make their way around her lower back.

"Knowing that while you're looking, you're thinking about last night just as much as I am"

She felt a shiver run through him and that made her realise she was oddly no longer shivering or cold herself. She'd have to be sure they made stop offs like this more often.

"Wh-what do you...? H-how much do you…? What exactly do you think about?"

The ex-Turk took his question in with delight and moved her mouth to hover over her new lovers lips, she would leave that one tauntingly unanswered.

"So which way are headed?"

Kunsel's eyes that were not far off closing in expectation of a kiss opened.

"… huh?"

"You weren't standing on top of that rock and letting little me get cold just for fun… Kunsel" she dragged his name out as sensually as using it made her feel right now. "So which way are we headed?"

"Oh… the upper ridge. It will be err... colder… and there'll be lynxes… but at least we'll uhhh… we'll avoid the uhhh… the packs of Ice Boobs… Bombs! Ice Bombs! That are wandering around the lower"

Cissnei who was drawing small circles with her fingers through the struggling SOLDIER's hair, bit her lip to stop from laughing and gently nodded her approval.

"Mmmmm, looks like you'll have to work extra hard to keep me warm then"

"… I can do that"

Not wanting to taunt him any longer and finding her own resistance rapidly waning, Cissnei let the kiss they were teetering on the edge of happen and went down on his mouth. Standing in the chilly middle of nowhere, surrounded in nothing but hard grey baron earth, grey rocks and a grey sky, the ex-Turk maintained her exterior role of seductress but inside she was melting. With every treasured moment they spent together like this she could feel something building, almost growing inside of her that baffled but excited her. At a guess she would say it was love but love to her understanding was only an emotion, this felt like something physical, something tangible that could be weighed and measured. Like something somewhere deep in the centre of her body was storing every affectionate memory away for life and getting dangerously close to tipping point. It felt scary but something wonderful, something bright that would paint the endless grey void around them in some spectacular color if she ever found a way to let it out.

Cissnei couldn't help giggling mid kiss with the SOLDIER, she really was becoming soft.

"What's so funny?" Kunsel's voice muffled against her mouth defensively, a look of booted pride and insecurity on his expression.

"Nothing! I just realized I need to kill something... soon"

She set her lips back to mending her fellow 'contact hoarder's' damaged ego and as typical as ever, just as she reengaged the contact there was a loud cat like screech followed by the earth shattering sound of hard ground cracking and splitting under tremendous force. The world around them began to tremor and the interrupted couple began looking about wildly in alarm.

"OH HELL! WHAT'S HE GONE AND DONE NOW!?" Kunsel yelled above the clamour.

The piercing ring of a trumpet sounded out through the frigid air and simultaneously turning towards it they saw Cait Sith on the far horizon of the lower ridge, scampering out of a skeletal grove of grey lifeless tree's with his over-sized gramma phone raised to his lips.

The makeshift trumpet blasted out another erratic fanfare.

_"Retreat! Soo'nd thee alarm! Barric-a-a-de tha' keep!... Leg it!"_

*Trumpet fanfare*

Trees were rooted sky-high behind the flailing cat on the run, the thundering stampede growing louder and Kunsel pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead in despair as two Velcha Behemoth's came bursting through the thicket in pursuit. Cissnei groaned at the sight of the snarling, angry and ready to kill monstrosities, one of which was oddly surrounded in flames.

"He's trying to level up that damn fire materia of his again" Cissnei growled.

_"Stop shootin' in me bloody ear Reeve, whad'ya think um doin'? I'm ronnin'! Aww bugger me!"_

Kunsel looked sidelong at the remarkably calm looking orangy-red head as she observed the toy cat in peril, making no attempt to move.

"Umm Rekka? Don't you think we should go give him a hand?"

Cissnei grabbed her crimson four point shuriken titled with her birth name from its strapped position under her back pack and flicked it out to arm's length.

"I suppose so"

Kunsel grinned and lifted his Claymore up and out of its sheath, poising the knights-blade in both hands as they began descending the slope at a gradually building pace.

_"Ey guys! Mind givin' ya' ol' pal Cait a bit'a help o'oer here!? These chaps'a really… EEK! Gainin' on meeeeeeeeeeee!"_

"I'll take the one on the left if that's alright with you" Cissnei remarked evenly.

"But that's the bigger one"

"I fancy the challenge. Besides, size isn't everything... luckily for you"

She eyed Kunsel sideways briefly with jest who raised his eyebrow in both challenge and amusement, his confidence unwavering that they both knew he had nothing to be insecure about in that department.

"I'll get you for that one later"

"I look forward to it"

The ex-Turk's speed reached its peak and with one last nod to Kunsel she fixed her sights on the oncoming stampede and accelerated towards the larger of the two Behemoth's. Cait Sith's small eyes lit up joyfully at seeing her approach which they wouldn't have if he could see how close the raging animal was to ramming him with the two deadly curved horns that protruded from its forehead.

"Wee hee! I knew I could rely on me dear ol'…"

"CAIT! DOWN!"

The robotic feline did as he was told and pounced to the ground just as Cissnei launched Rekka over his head and the flying blade slashed its way along the monsters lion like snout making it veer off course.

"Ooh my, tha' we a close one… hehe" the cat chuckled, anxiously rubbing his behind.

"Cait I'm gonna strangle you after this!" Cissnei yelled as she leapt over him, caught her spinning blade mid-flight and ran to engage the target in open ground.

"We it ain't ma' fault 'is wee buddy showed up! These fella's jos' dannay respect the meanin' o' a one a one"

A rigorous violent battle ensued between the giant Velcha Behemoth and the not much above five foot female assassin. The thickly armored descendant of the fearsome breed of creatures was dangerous and unstoppable at its most crazed state and she knew the only way to take it down would be to tire it out first.

Dodging, twisting and flipping around her one-tonne rival, Cissnei used her talents acquired over a lifetime to expertly evade the monster that was spinning and turning in a frenzy to attack her in all directions. Her limbs felt slow in the cold and the heavy clothing she wore made her movements feel stiff and lethargic, especially after a lack of sleep from last night's 'activities'. She was still sprightly enough however to avoid the whirlwind of fury around her and successfully managed to remain out of harm's way. That's not to say that the experience was pleasant, it was like being caught in the middle of an earthquake and as the beast stamped, clawed and tore at the ground with unrivalled power, Cissnei's teeth chattered in her skull from the sheer strength and force it unleashed. Only Cait Sith could find a way to pick a fight with the two most powerful adversaries that could be found out in the wilderness this side of the continent, bar the black dragons in the mountains.

Huge lumps of solid grey mud and rock were lashed up into the sky by the Behemoth as easy as balls being thrown into the air by a child in a ball pit. Cissnei worked her body through the onslaught nimbly. A giant slab of bouldering earth to the face would certainly ruin her day to say the least and she fleetingly wondered how the larger SOLDIER was approaching this challenge.

Probably cutting his way through with sheer force like a typical guy…

Suddenly from the corner of her eye Cissnei caught a flash of hot red light and a sizeable ball of dense fire crashed into the Behemoth she was wrestling with, the heat of the flames blowing against her skin far too close for comfort.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!?" she roared above the crescendo of thundering noise and loud Behemoth shrieks.

"Woops, ma' bad las! I thought it were me go"

She took a split second between being clawed at to glare at the third member of their party who had decided to try and intervene.

"Your go!? What do you think this is? Turn based combat? No more fire!"

"Awwwww but I'ts soooo cloos' to becomin' fire three! Pleaaaassssseeeee"

Gritting her teeth she slashed at the tiring beast a couple of times to release a bit of her own pent up bloodlust the trained killer felt she needed to vent and then jumped clear from the staggering creature.

"Fine. Finish it"

Reeve Tuetsi's invention cheered and finished off the monster with one more fiery inferno.

Cissnei flicked Rekka once, then twice to clear some of the dark red grime from her prized blade and looked over to see bright amber and crystal blue eyes looking at her in amused observation. Kunsel had watched her fight.

"Took you long enough"

The SOLDIER was lazily leaning against his fallen prey, his arms resting casually on his Claymore that was stabbed point down in the ground.

"Tough fight" she admitted shamelessly, wiping her brow.

"It was, you looked good out there"

She dipped her face from the sweetly pitched compliment, getting another bout of the pleasant bashful-jittery feeling he could sometimes give her.

"Thanks. I was a bit slow…"

"Woo hoo hee ha, ba-ba dee da doopy-doo, sheeby deeby dee"

The new couple looked down to see Cait Sith approaching, singing out random notes and clicking his fingers with a cheerful spring in his step as an upgraded orb of green elemental materia shone in his hand.

Cissnei turned on him with a firm wide stance and placed her hands forcefully on her hips. The happy miniature troublemaker froze under the long veil of her shadow, looked up and small ears receded back as she gave him a strong dose of the 'Turk' stare.

"So I suppose you think that was clever? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Cait remained glued to the spot motionlessly like he was praying she couldn't see him and if it was possible for the toy cat to turn pale then he would have. As he painfully scraped for words his eyes flicked over her shoulder in desperation.

"No. Don't look at him look at me. What were you thinking taking on a monster that tough?"

"Uuummm..." Cait tuned while fidgeting. "… fortune favours the breeve?"

Cissnei dug her elbow backwards into the SOLDIER behind her who was about to laugh and scolded Cait harder for his quick witted retort.

"And what about stupid? What does fortune do for the stupid?"

"We ya' came ta' jos' the right person to ask a question li'e that!"

The self-proclaimed fortune teller began doing the dramatic clunky dance he always did when he was supposedly using his 'mystical gift' but it soon petered off to a stop and he withered when she raised her 'Turk' stare to prisoner interrogation levels.

"Cissnei's right dude, you could have got yourself killed... or… dismantled?... I guess "

The reprimanding female nodded, not only impressed that Kunsel backed her up on this one but that he always remembered when to switch between her birth name and self-given name without fail.

Cait stared between them helplessly, finally gave in and sagged his head and arms in shame, "aye ya' right guys… I'm sorry… wha' I did was bad"

Cissnei toned down the heat of her glare and opted on moving her hands from her hips to folding them in front of her body instead.

"Cait, why are you trying so hard to level that materia anyway? You were gone for hours this morning and I know you were out fighting, does Reeve really need levelled materia that urgently?"

"Nay, Reeve told me not ta' go off fightin' aloon as well"

"Then… why?"

The dejected sentient cat kept his eyes on the floor, shrugged a little and held out his small white-gloved hands evenly.

"I jos' wanna get stronger as quickly as I can ya' knew?... I er… I ne'er had pals like you guys before an' I figured… if I get strong enough an' prove to yee I can be o' help… ye'll think I'm useful an' lemme stick around an'… be my friends…"

Cissnei's arms unfolded in surprise, that was not what she was expecting.

"I realise I'm jos' a toy an' all, an' it's weird ta' be pals we'a toy… so I understan' if ye danny wanna be friends but… please lemme stay!… please don't get rid o' me! Fightin' Shinra, savin' the world, beatin' Sephiroth an' all, it feels like I can really make a difference for once. Travelin' we you chaps… I feel like I'm worth soomin'"

A moment of silence hung over the trio and Cissnei gazed down at Cait in disbelief. She had seen the intricate clockwork machine express joy, sadness, fear and excitement before, but this was a whole other level. These weren't base feelings, these were 'real' and complex emotions she was seeing. How had Reeve done this? This was endearment, insecurity, uncertainty, the natural want and need to feel accepted. These were emotions of a real person she was witnessing.

Just like his maker it seemed she too had underestimated Cait's level of complexity.

Cissnei turned to the SOLDIER hovering over her shoulder to gauge his reaction to what they were seeing.

"Kunsel! Are you... crying!?"

"… no"

"Then why are your eyes watering?"

"... those Behemoth's just hacked two massive craters into the ground ok!... some of it… got in my eye"

She gave the sniffing man who's eyes were definitely glimmering with moisture an incredulous stare.

"… Oh come on Ciss did you not hear that! All he wants is a friend!"

Suddenly the ex-Turk found herself being shoved out of the way by the brunette, rushing over to kneel next to Cait who brightened up instantaneously.

"Well I don't care if it's weird! I'M YOUR FRIEND LITTLE GUY!"

"Ho boy…"

"Really!? Do yee really mean it!?"

"You bet I mean it!"

"So we're friends!? Really friends!?"

"Friends? We'll be like bros!"

"Bros!? Like real bros!?"

"You said it man!"

"An' we'll do all the things tha' bros do!? Like 'watch each other's back'!?"

"Man your back is mine! I own that back! That back is on lockdown!"

"An' we'll tell each other secrets an' do things like chill while watchin' sunsets!?"

"A bit weird but count me in!"

"An' we won't let anyone come 'tween us, even girls 'cause it's bros before h…"

Cait luckily shut up, warily looked in her direction and Cissnei raised her eyebrow, daring him to finish that sentence.

"I barely understood what you just said and yet I know it was all so right! Oh man I can't wait for you to meet Zack!"

The female ex-Turk cringed at the sight of a fully grown man emphatically bumping fists and hugging with a black and white toy cat but at the same time the shadow of a smile crept on her face. That was until the embracing newlywed couple simultaneously turned their heads and looked in her direction.

"… what?"

She took a retreating step away, their expectant faces giving her a bad feeling inside.

"Cissy lass… anythin' yee uhhh… wanna get o' yee chest?"

 _No_ was the answer that immediately came to mind but Kunsel read her thoughts and narrowed his eyes.

"Sayyyyy it"

"Say what!?" she spluttered, taking another step away as her body started getting cold again while her face began getting hotter.

"Say how you feel"

"Cold and hungry?"

"No, about Cait"

She gawked owlishly between her two travelling companions, feeling like a cornered animal.

"Kunsel you know I don't like talking about this kind of stuff!" she whined.

"It took Cait a lot of courage to tell us what he did. So try"

"Try what!? What do you want me to say?" Cissnei stalled for time.

"Say if you see Cait as our friend and a part of the team " Kunsel replied, giving her an intense and suggestive indication with his head towards the emotionally vulnerable looking cat.

Rolling her eyes the uncomfortable woman mumbled the words quickly, "… yes I see him as a friend"

"Whay was tha' Cissy? I daren't hear ye proper?"

"Yes you're my friend! Jeez I wouldn't have saved you from that Behemoth otherwise!"

The toy cat let out an ecstatic cheer and came bounding forwards her with his arms out wide, headed for her leg.

"But that doesn't mean if you try to hug me I won't beat you to a pulp and strangle you like I promised". She looked to Kunsel, "happy now?"

"Very" the SOLDIER nodded cheerily, walking over to unstick his Claymore from the ground.

Feeling something poking at her shin Cissnei looked down and shook her head with a despairing groan to see Cait smiling clownishly up at her while giving her a thumbs up. Man she really needed a drink.

"Let's go, we've wasted enough time"

Cissnei shouldered her pack and made for the upper ridge with the happy Cait Sith waddling along dramatically to keep close to her heels.

"I joos knew it! I joos knew we'd become friends you an' me!"

"Wow it's like you're a fortune teller or something..."

"Ey lassy, now tha' we're all best choms an' all, ye can tell us where we're headed now right?"

Cissnei's stomach fluttered and first she looked to Cait and then to Kunsel who she had already known for a long time she was ready to tell. The SOLDIER caught up and matched her pace evenly, glancing at her sidelong with an inviting nod as he returned his thick silver sword to his back. She was definitely ready to tell them and she was sure with how perceptive and resourceful Kunsel was that he had already figured it out long ago anyway.

"We're going to Nibelheim, there's something I have to do… or should I say, someone I have to meet"

* * *

**Chapter 42 Part 2- Loves timeline**

_Join me Zack and together we can purify this planet, I will even allow the Cetra girl to remain yours_

_Desire for revenge brought me back pup, my hunger to watch you and Minerva burn_

_Her body and soul will belong to you for eternity_

_.. I was in love once..._

_The reunion I tell you! The invitations are going out! It is beginning!_

_Your brothers are waiting for you_

_It's good to see you again, Zack_

Sat on top of one of the thousands of narrow red rocky pillars that stood tall in the dusty crimson land of Cosmo Canyon, Zack shook his head to try and rid himself of the dark unpleasant recollections penetrating his defence along with the uneasy sensation he was feeling. His head had begun pounding for the last few hours and he had used his mako enhancements to jump up here and be alone for a while to gather his thoughts. Experience had taught him to fear this ominous feeling, however the S-cells in his body were calm so he knew it couldn't be Sephiroth or Jenova's doing, or at least they couldn't be close enough to be watching him, he would sense them.

Or would he?

Perhaps Kunsel's guess was right and the calamity could manipulate the connection at will? Or perhaps they were in the same region but keeping their distance? Perhaps it was Genesis? Or perhaps he just had to accept that it had been a long day and this was simply another one of the many times his paranoia was going into overdrive.

The raven haired SOLDIER leaned back on his hands to try and relax his mind and clear his thoughts. He settled his gaze on the incredible sunset washing the canyon in the richest tones of deep ruby and gold that he hadn't believed nature capable of creating on its own.

This place, this scenery, they were some of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen and being in SOLDIER he had seen many. But never this, this breath-taking landscape was new to him as he had never been this far into the region before, probably because Shinra had never deployed SOLDIER and the army to subjugate it. That thought alone was depressing, that was the legacy of SOLDIER, the career he had dedicated his life to, conquerors.

Still, that was all in the past and for now he would do nothing but take advantage of this sunset and look to the future with optimism.

Zack could hear the voices of his companions in the distance, figuring out a solution to their latest delaying issue. Or more accurately Jessie and Barret were yelling at each other while Yuffie did everything in her power to egg them both on. The buggy had finally broken down on the last leg of their journey to the village but it hadn't been entirely unexpected, it was a miracle the thing had lasted as long as it had with how bumpy and rugged the terrain was in the Canyon.

On the bright side it gave him this quiet time alone and it was ten long minutes before he was interrupted from his peaceful serenity by which point he was so absorbed in the skyline that he didn't even move when he felt another presence join him on the towering jagged column. He knew the presence wasn't threatening, he could tell who it was from the feeling of the bracer at his wrist and when her arms wrapped around him and her body pressed up against his back, Aerith joining him felt like a gentle welcome breeze meeting him with relief on a hot sunny day.

"Hey you" her soft breath tickled his ear and a lock of her curls his neck.

"Hey y… w-wait!" Zack snapped out of his daydream like state and tried to turn but the woman draped around him giggled and held on tight to keep him in place. "H-how!? How did you get up here!?"

"I climbed silly"

"You... Aerith! You could have fallen! You could have hurt..!"

"But I didn't" she cooed gently, the kiss on his cheek and her sweet delicious scent encouraging to be at ease again. "You're not the only one who can be reckless to be romantic you know. If I recall you jumped from a moving gondola just to get me a chocobo teddy"

"But I've got mako enhancements"

"And I'm a lot tougher than you think" she countered making him chuckle.

Zack took one of her small hands and kissed it firmly.

"Still not tough enough to charge people a fair price of more than a gil for flowers I bet, if at all"

"Mmmmm" she tuned fondly at the memory, the vibration through her chest feeling pleasant against his back. "It's so pretty up here, I hope you don't mind that I joined you"

"No, no not at all" he replied sincerely, taking intrigue in observing the groups designated healer and spell casters dainty hand and seeing how it sized up against his. Truth be told he didn't get anywhere near as many moments alone with Aerith as he would like.

"I know it sounds selfish but I really wanted a moment with just me and you"

"Funny I was just thinking the same thing"

Her arms looped around him further and Zack felt his ears turn pink as a nervous voiced Cetra girl spoke what he decided were the best combination of words ever invented.

"Well you have me to yourself now"

He twisted around towards bashful wide emerald eyes with surprise, not entirely sure if he was right in thinking that she was implying what he thought she was implying.

"Do you mean right he…?"

Zack's words were unexpectedly gagged by the mouth of a blushing flower girl which he had absolutely no objection to. He would be lying if he said the urge to be physical with her again hadn't been making him want to tear his hair out for the last few days. It was one of the hard things about being a new couple that had recently began to explore this side of their relationship, keeping your hands off each other was simply that much harder. Zack kissed her back for all he was worth, delighted that Aerith was feeling the same way to and he flipped her onto her back which made the brunette release a short yelp of excitement. Zack briefly wondered how he had got this lucky, in his mind there were two types of woman, the sexy fun adventurous type and the type you married and took home to your mother. Aerith was both all rolled into one.

She was wearing that favourite pink dress of hers, the one that shaped itself gorgeously to her body all the way down to the ankles and ended in adorable big brown boots that somehow made the whole outfit look even more enticing. His mouth drowned in the uniquely sweet taste of his girlfriend and when he felt those same brown boots link themselves around his waist, his previous doubts of where this was going to happen became nothing more than a distant memory.

He curved his hands along the modest and yet unintentionally seductive dress, feeling the light material lift with impossible ease and track slowly up towards Aerith's kness. The higher it travelled the harder his enhanced senses felt her heart beat begin to pound beneath him and the more uncontrolled and unreserved the kissing between them became. Lifting one hand he acted on impulse and squeezed gently over one of her breasts, finding his natural male pride being pleasantly rewarded as she broke away to audibly exhale.

"I've missed this" he admitted passionately.

"Me too"

_"HEY PORCUPINE! Rides busted! Ain't no go!"_

Zack jumped like he had been jabbed with a cattle prod, then hung his head into the crook of Aerith's neck who softly chuckled.

"Him… why is it always him?"

Zack shifted off of the warm panting beauty to poke the top of his head over the edge of the wide rocky platform and peer down at Barret who was hollering up at him from far below.

Why had he told the others where they could find him?

"H-hey! So You really can't fix it huh?" he called down, scratching the back of his head and having to raise his voice a number of octaves to be heard.

_"Pah, we could get her movin' but there ain't a whole lot'a point when she'll only break again in half'a mile'a this hot friggin' hell hole"_

"So we're walking?" he groaned.

_"Well we sure as shit ain't rollin'"_

"For real?"

_"Fer real!? When it comes ta' walkin' it ain't no jokin' matter foo. Shit I hate walkin' almost as much as I hate stairs!"_

"Do we even know how far out from the village we are?"

_"Flame tails out scoutin' a path us 'humans' can take, we move in half hour"_

"Cheers B" Zack called down honestly, grateful for this refreshing break in decision making for once.

Barret turned away and waved the back of his gun arm.

_"Ye ye. Ya' best believe he better find one, my ass ain't jumpin' no cliffs ta'day aw hell naw it ain't"_

The big guy clunked away, seeming to take a very different experience of the Canyon away with him.

Zack turned back to Aerith who was sat in the fiery glow of the setting sun, biting her lip with a timid but eager smile. She looked like the vision of beauty that she was and caught in that light, with pink flushed cheeks and a look of shy but adventurous vitality in her eyes, he moved towards the perfect woman who was everything he could ever want.

"Did he say… half an hour?"

* * *

**Chapter 42 Part 3- Loves timeline**

"And then after the tribe has performed the welcome ceremony, grandfather can show you his observatory! I am certain you will be most amazed!"

Aerith grinned from her place beside Red, she had never seen him this happy and excited before and that in turn made her happy and excited. Night had fallen after three hours of walking and the stars of the Canyon were out in full with Red's tail being the brightest warm light that illuminated the surroundings.

"Oh Red, you must be so pleased to be home again after all this time. I'm so thrilled" she gently squeezed the hand she had linked to his fur proudly.

"Yes, I must confess I have missed home greatly, it is rather difficult to believe I am in fact here"

"Like as in it's too good to be true?"

"Precisely"

She nodded and looked down at the ground cheerily.

"It seems however I am not the only one who is in high spirits"

Aerith flushed.

"Oh?" she remarked light, concealing her embarrassment and playing innocent.

"Yes you have been glowing for some time and giving my tail quite the run for its money"

"I'm.. glowing?" she mumbled, pressing her hand to her cheeks.

A third voice jumped into the mix.

"Yeah you really are. I'd be freaked out if I didn't know you was the descendent of some ancient race of super humans"

Jessie caught up from the back where Zack was grilling Yuffie about some materia that had gone missing and pinched Aerith on the hip.

"So care to tell us mere mortals why your so jolly?" Jessie pressed then pushed up close to her arm and lowered her voice to a whisper, "it wouldn't be anything to do with the half hour you and Zack went missing by any chance would it?"

"JESSIE!" Aerith crowed instinctively.

"Yes?"

"... we're talking about Red here not me" the world's worst liar deflected lamely.

"Mmmm smooth. But yeah your right, Red! It's your home! This is awesome, are you sure it's alright we come in?"

"Nanaki"

The two woman looked puzzled at each other.

"Nanaki, my real name is Nanaki. But you may continue to call me Red if you wish, I must admit I have grown fond and accustom to both. And yes, it would be an honor for both me and the tribe if you, my friends, would stay in the village"

Aerith and Jessie blinked at Red rapidly in bewilderment.

"... wait a sec! Wait wait wait! No way did you just tell us your real name that casually!" the engineer exploded.

"Why not?"

"... because... because... it's like a really big deal for starters!"

Aerith vigorously nodded along to every word the red-head spoke.

"I see. I did not think it was so. I merely mention it now because that is how the tribe will address me and I did not wish for there to be confusion"

"Hold on so you're telling us this whole time you didn't even care if we knew your name?"

Aerith nodded again.

"At first I did not care to exchange names with strangers. After that I would have had no objection telling whom so ever asked. However no one other than Cissnei approached the topic so I came to the conclusion that no one cared"

"Cared! We didn't ask because we all thought it was some kind of massive sensitive subject you were keeping secret!"

"Wait" the Cetra brunette chipped in over Jessie's exuberant outbursts, "your saying Cissnei knew!?"

"For quite some time. I had thought that she would tell..."

Suddenly Red came to a sharp stop making Aerith tug on his hair and nearly lose her balance.

"… Red? What's the matter?" Jessie frowned.

_"For the last time Yuff, you can't tell me you found double cut materia just lying on the ground"_

_"I can too!"_

"Red?" Tifa mumbled as she caught up, then gave Aerith a questioning glance as she moved around to kneel in front of their unresponsive companion.

"I don't know, he just stopped moving"

"Good call flame tail! Cause I swear ta' Minerva I ain't takin' another damn step! Sod the village who's got tha' tents?" Barret called.

Zack frowned with confusion and also approached. "Red? Everything alright buddy?"

All of AVALANCHE gathered around their silent motionless ally and nobody was ready for it when Red, who looked like he was listening out intently, reared his head.

"GRANDFATHER!"

Bounding forward, Tifa was knocked roughly out of the way and five alarmed shouts echoed after him as he took off at a powerful sprint.

"RED!?"

"Hey!"

"Wha' tha'!?"

"TEEF YOU ALRIGHT!?"

"I'm fine! He's scared! Something's wrong!"

Zack pulled the martial artist to her feet and before Aerith had a chance to get her head around what was going on, AVALANCHE was off in quick pursuit, dashing after the fiery light of Red's tail as it slowly began fading into the dark distance.

"What are we running for!?" Yuffie yelled with a cruder "wha' tha' fuck is goin' on?" from Barret thundering at the back.

Clueless they made chase and with his incredible speed, Red's light was soon gone and Aerith's footing stumbled over barely visible ground.

"No Zack!" the flower girl ordered when he tried to take her hand, "go after him!"

The blue-eyed SOLDIER eventually nodded, took off ahead at his true speed and dashing along that black unsteady terrain alone, a terrified feeling took hold of her.

"Aerith! Stay with me!"

To her relief Jessie's hands found its way into hers and together they ran breathlessly for many minutes, running blindly straight ahead and losing the others until up ahead somewhere in the darkness they heard Tifa's voice.

"NO!... YUFFIE! GET BACK HERE!"

Not long after the horizon began to glow and the Wutai princess' startled cry was enough to tell Aerith she didn't want to go any further. Want had nothing to do with it though and when the full view of a village on fire peaked into ghastly display, the terror she felt for her friend's home stabbed with a physical pain.

"No! No it can't be!" her ragged breathing choked out between pants as Jessie's hand tightened around hers.

They ran together towards the blazing town faster, watching Yuffie run in through the burning gate with Tifa in close pursuit. Running faster with a dress that ran down to the ankles however soon proved to be a bad idea and Aerith was down, cutting her hands along the ground and nearly pulling Jessie over with her. Two big arms pulled her back off the floor, mere feet away from the town that she could feel the intense heat and smoke scorching the dry dusty air of Cosmo Canyon.

"Barret!"

The one armed gunman stared grimly at the nightmarish scene smouldering before them, a sight Aerith knew he'd had to endure before.

"Don't s'pose if I ask ya' gals to stay out here ya'd listen?"

"B we have to help!" Jessie shouted above the fierce cracks and lashes of uncontrollable flames.

"Who would have done this!?" the green-eyed brunette shrieked, completely mortified at what she was seeing.

"Dunno but I gott'a damn good idea" Barret's gun-arm clicked and whirred alive which they took example of, Jessie arming her electro-mag rod and Aerith taking her full-metal staff in hand. "Le's go then"

Entering the suffocating village it didn't take long to find Zack and the others, following her bracer and the harrowing sound of Red's agonizing sharp howls. They found them all stood in the centre of a maelstrom of fire that was once a proud tribal village with weapons drawn also. Aerith gripped her staff tight and ran to join them, her eyes burning under the dirty shower of white ash that rained down in thick blankets.

"We need to get out of here! It's no good! There's no one here!" Tifa gasped, clutching her arm like it was burned.

"GRANDFATHER!"

"Red! Come. On. We. Need. To go!" Yuffie strained, desperately trying to pull on her reckless and out of control friends neck.

"GRANDFATHER!"

"Yo Zack! She's right! Ain't no one 'ere! We gotta go!"

When Zack didn't respond to Barret, Aerith looked to her partner who was stood with his heavy blade in hand, staring at the ground with his back turned the other way in an unresponsive manner similar to what Red had been. She went over and grabbed onto his arm.

"Zack!? Zack what's...!?"

"He's here"

Aerith's heart painfully skipped a beat, knowing exactly what he meant.

"S-Sephiroth?"

The SOLDIER's head lifted and following his line of sight she saw, blurred among the sky reaching flames, what appeared to be a large telescope and below it a balcony where an old balding man dressed in blue robes walked out slowly with his head bowed low.

"GRANDFATHER! HERE! GRANDFATHER IT'S ME!"

Aerith gasped softly.

"... Nanaki?"

"YES I'M HERE! I AM BACK!"

"Nanaki... you must... go to the others, they have fled to the caverns seeking your fathers protection"

"My…? NO THAT CAN WAIT! I AM COMING TO GET YOU!"

"I would not deem that wise"

A darkening chill descended the members of AVALANCHE and Aerith saw Zack violently flinch and clutch at the side of his head from the baritone sound of the menacing voice that came from above. Appearing from behind Bugenhagen, Aerith caught her first glimpse of the long silver hair, incandescent jade green eyes and fearsome appearance of the fallen general, the legendary blade the world told tales about aiming it's deadly tip towards the age-old tribe leader.

"SEPHIROTH!"

The deadly elite SOLDIER ran his eyes over each of them with a disturbingly detached and unemotional demeanour that made it dauntingly clear why the swordsmen's fabled appearance was so widely feared.

"You are late pup, mother and I have been waiting for you"

"WELL I'M HERE NOW! SO COME DOWN AND FIGHT ME! WHY... WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS!?"

Sephiroth raised his hand and an explosion tore through the huts and buildings behind them, the raw impossible power throwing Aerith forward to the ground and the overwhelming ring of fire surrounding them becoming complete.

"To alter the flow of events of course. The planet clings to its last hopes of salvation, to carve a new fate from the ashes of its past. The conniving will of the lifestream in its desperate endeavour to prevent the inevitable, has committed the ultimate crime to deny me my destined right to rule over this planet"

The Cetra girl watched up from the floor as Zack, who had kept on his feet, returned the mythril saber to his back and took the buster sword out in its place.

"You're brainwashed Sephiroth... and you've gone too far. You're not a destined ruler. You're not Jenova's son. You're not a god. And you're not destroying anymore people's lives! NOW LET HIM GO!"

The nightmare smirked and in that moment, Aerith's faith that nobody's heart could be too black that they were beyond saving wavered.

"Your determination please me SOLDIER, I always knew where Cloud got his conviction"

"CLOUD!?" Tifa ran forward but Zack's arm kept her back. "Cloud!? How do you know that name!?"

The generals head and arm raised up to the sky in what looked like amused delight.

"I know Cloud better than anyone, better than the puppet knows himself"

"No! You're lying! You're playing games! You know nothing about him and you're going to pay for what you did to Nibelheim!"

Sephiroth's head tilted towards Tifa and his blade moved closer to Bugenhagens neck.

"GRANDFATHER NO! LET HIM GO!" Red snarled, barely able to hold himself back as Sephiroth observed Tifa.

"Ahh the guardians light. A most troublesome woman"

A burning wooden column hurtled from nowhere to erupt into the ground between the martial artist and Zack who both tumbled away from each other just in time to avoid the fatal incendiary.

"You always did use to drone on about that infernal town"

The silver haired general began laughing at the baffled expressions beneath him, a laugh that took Aerith back to memories of being stared and mocked at from behind panes of glass, a shoulder trembling laugh that reminded her disturbingly of professor Hojo's.

"It seems you truly do not remember anything after all. How amusing"

"Hey creep! Go be crazy in your own time and let Red's grandpa go!" Yuffie spat with what energy she could, looking dangerously blackened and faint on her feet.

"Tha's right punk!" Barret enforced furiously, "let th'a old dude go or I'mma be shootin' ya' straight in tha' stupid fuckin' face'a ya's"

Jessie was next to yell out when Barret's insults put Bugenhagens neck frighteningly close to being cut. "Wait! What do you want!? Just tell us what you want!?"

"And you" he turned his deathly cold stare onto the red-head engineer. "The very truth of your current existence is testimony to the planets filthy corruption. An anomaly that perhaps I should rectify at this very moment"

Wide-eyed Jessie tripped backwards as another spear of burning timber shot straight towards her but Zack was there in time, the buster sword raised as a shield, splintering the attack into a shower of scalding embers.

"Sephiroth! Leave them out of this! This is between me and you!"

"Oh if it were but that simple, unfortunately however you have yet to serve your purpose at the reunion Zachary. What I will be needing from you now however, lies in that pocket of yours"

Silent dread swept over AVALANCHE as all eyes turned to Zack who stood in defiance but then when Sephiroth inched the sword closer toward the tribe elder with raised eyebrows, he hesitantly took the runestone from his trouser pocket.

"No!... we can't!" Tifa implored urgently.

"Are you sure?"

A small cut was made by Sephiroth in Bugenhagens neck which was followed by a deafening animalistic roar of fury from Red.

"Ho ho... you have become strong Nanaki. You will make me proud and you will not hand over the artefact! I am but an old man. I do not fear death."

"It is time to decide Zachary"

"Sephiroth don't!... don't do this"

The cut got deeper and Aerith's stomach wrenched as she watched her panicked SOLDIER slowly becoming consumed under the weight of the decision placed on his shoulders. Zack looked from the balcony in alarm to each of his companions for an answer but none came, not even from Red who's silence was loudest of them all. When Zack turned to her last, Aerith felt her heart break as his fire lit eyes begged for the answer, the round grey orb lying helplessly in his hand.

She knew what to do, what had to be done, the thing that separated them from Sephiroth's and Jenova's. She approached slowly and placed her hand to Zack's hot ash covered face. In her heart sacrificing another's life and their humanity could never be worth it no matter how great the cost and it was not another burden she would allow him to carry.

"Give it to him Zack. We'll find another way"

"Young man. Do no such thing"

She watched him flinch and look away, then after a few seconds of struggle that she never wanted to see again, he nodded.

"We're not going to let you get away with this! We're gonna hunt you down no matter how far you run!"

Zack cast the runestone towards the balcony in hatred and disgust which Sephiroth caught with dark satisfaction and Bugenhagen hung his head in despair.

"Hmmm, you disappoint me Zachary, to think you still believe in honor after all that it cost you"

"And what about you? Where's your honor Seph? The honor you once believed in?"

"Let me show you"

The brunette ancient seized up and her pupils contracted when the black coated general raised his sword but not before looking straight in her direction briefly with a scalding stare she would never forget.

Everything after that moved in slow motion.

The grisly seven foot blade driving its way through the wise tribe leaders middle.

AVALANCHE's cries of fury.

Tifa and Zack charging forward to attack.

Barrets gunfire pounding through the air.

Worst of all was Red's terrifying howl as Jessie pulled Yuffie back from going near their companion turned savage and the sky turning to crimson under the unnatural blood red glow of the moon.


	43. Whispering echoes

**Chapter 43 Part 1- Whispering echoes**

"She's a beauty!"

Tired, injured, worn-down and low in spirits, the four woman of AVALANCHE slowly looked up from the dusty camp floor to acknowledge the sunny Captain thumbing proudly towards his fully operational airship that was hovering on the bright horizon.

"… hi Cid."

*Grunt*

"Hello Mr. High-… Cid."

"Yeah… hey Cid."

The rugged blonde pilot frowned then scowled at the full sweep of unimpressive and anti-climactic reactions towards his pride and joy.

"Damn, don't all jump at once or nuthin'…" He aimed a frown towards the young red-head of the group, "… sheesh, even you techy?"

"… sorry Cid, she is awesome. It' just…" Jessie sighed despondently and dropped her favourite tech-goggles in between her knees, "… it's a really bad time right now."

With an irritated look on his face, Cid's boots crunched to a stop and with his hands shoved casually in his pockets, he stopped in front of the miserable looking cluster of woman and whistled low.

"Don't mind me sayin' or nuthin' but… you ladies look like shit."

Yuffie, Tifa, Aerith and Jessie all turned to the man simultaneously.

"Pretty shit mind you, hell the prettiest shit I e'er did see but… shit none tha' less."

"Can someone remind me why Zack called this guy again?" Yuffie wheezed meekly through lungs that were still struggling from the excessive amount of smoke they had inhaled half a day ago.

"We need the airship to get to the temple in time," Aerith murmured, her hands gently humming with warm green energy over Tifa's arm, healing the martial artist's sizeable burn in slow intermittent stages to try to minimize the risk of long-term scarring.

Yuffie softly gagged at the word 'airship' and laid down on her side in defeat.

"…oh yeah."

"Nice to see ya' Cid! How ya' doin' Cid? Thanks for gettin' the airship fixed a day early Cid! Fuck! Is anyone pleased to see me?" the Captain grumbled, forcefully smacking a cigarette pack against his hand to shimmy one free.

"I am," Tifa spoke up immediately, her red tinted eyes lifting from the ground to offer a small but difficult smile. "You're exactly what we need right now."

Cid paused in his rough attempts at ignition and flicked his eyes up from the fag-end to the usually tough and unbreakable 'ice-queen' of AVALANCHE in surprise.

"… eh?"

The light surrounding Aerith's hands died down and the Cetra female stood up gently, opening her eyes while brushing down the dirt from her knees.

"She means we all really needed to see a friendly face like yours right now."

"Friendly!?"

The pilot looked between the two woman smiling tiredly, the teenage engineer nodding away to herself absently, the back of the Wutai princess' small frame huddled without a care on the filthy floor and scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Damn… you gal's really av' ad' it rough…"

The pilot got his cigarette alight, inhaled and with a decisive grunt, pulled up the biggest travelling pack in sight that belonged to Barret to take a seat on it blokishly.

"Well! Come on then, tell good ol' Cid what's got you chickens all in a doozy this time?"

After a long, depressing silence, Jessie who was still in a somewhat dazed and disoriented state was the first to mumble something of a response, more towards thin air than anyone in particular.

"He was so looking forward to coming back home again. I can't believe Red's grandad is dead."

The man from Rocket-town looked from the young teenage engineer to the other women in the circle who all mutely glanced away in other directions sadly. His mouth and brow drew tight, not quite seeing what all the fuss was about but deciding to go along with it anyway.

"So Furball's grandpa died huh? Bummer." Cid sucked on his cigarette again then pointed it through the hanging clouds of swirling smoke.

"Remember when me ol' gramps died. Didn't think much'a the crazy ol' gook when he was livin'. Sure missed him when he snuffed it though."

He paused to take another drag contemplatively.

"But tha's ol' people for ya' I guess. They're like bad smells, no one wants…"

"Cid," Tifa interrupted gracefully, pointing towards the back of the nearby tent that was setup, "I think you need to take a look around."

The blue-eyed pilot stood up lazily with a huff, cracked his back and squinted in the direction that the thoroughly melted ice-queen was indicating. Shielding his eyes with his hand he saw for the first time, the village that was blackened and half-burned to the ground in the distance and whistled again.

"… sweet naked lady. Tha' fuck happened over there?"

"Red's Grandad didn't die, Sephiroth killed him and destroyed the town," the dark-haired fighter explained solemnly, moving to stand beside him and commit the grim sight to her memory once more.

"Woah… ya' serious? The hell'd he do that for!?"

"To make us give him this stone he needs to get another stone so then he can bring some even bigger stone from outta space to flatten us all like pancakes," Yuffie croaked bleakly from the floor. "… sumin' like that."

"… and… we gave it to him but… but…" Jessie struggled.

"… Sephiroth killed him anyway just to get at Zack and took off," Aerith finished for her.

Seeing and understanding why the women were so broken up at last, along with the black smouldering plumes of the ruined village in his view, Cid clenched his fists and jaw, severing the cigarette that was bit between his teeth. He had never been an honourable man himself by any means but there were lines that a person simply didn't cross. Burning down towns, killing old helpless dudes for no good reason other than to make a point and destroying the planet he happened to live on were all one of them.

"And ya' couldn't say all tha' before I made myself soun' like'a tit?" Cid spat the butt of his cigarette to the floor angrily. "Shit, this guy's screwin' stuff up all over the place, bout time I gave this punk a good taste'a my fist."

The ex-barmaid who was as equally steely eyed as him, nodded her agreement.

"So you'll help us?"

"Well as Shinra screwed me over from goin' int'a space it looks like I'mma be stayin' on this planet fer the time bein' so… guess I better stop some prick drivin' a wreckin' ball int'a it."

"Thank you Cid."

"Ya' ain't gotta thank me queeny, 'till I pay ya' back for the Highwind she's at ya' service after all."

Aerith stopped rummaging through one of the travelling bags, Yuffie hauled herself into an upright position and Jessie stood up to speak.

"Pay us back?"

Cid clocked the woman's confused expressions and rolled his eyes.

"…guess Fair never told ya huh?"

"Told us? You mean Zack paid for the airship to be fixed?" the flower girl stepped closer questioningly, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Sure did, said you'd be needin' the ride a few days back. Paid me ta' get her runnin' asap an everythin'."

"He paid you! Without telling me!?" the young ninja princess scrabbled up onto her feet clutching her chest. "With my money!? That I earned fighting loads and loads of monsters for days and days on end!?"

"Yuffie! Be quiet!" Tifa ordered blankly, her gaze remaining fixed on the horizon.

"But how?" Jessie voiced aloud. "How could he have known? We didn't even know about the temple, or runestones, or black materia back then. We didn't know about any of it. How could Zack have known we'd need an airship?"

Aerith stared troubled at the floor, "… why didn't he tell me?"

"He didn't know about the temple," Tifa lied on the SOLDIER's behalf keeping her back turned to the group. "He told me he wanted the airship just in case we needed a quicker route off the continent; I agreed."

The woman from Nibelheim hadn't been sure but it was clear now that she was the only one who knew about the internal struggle Zack was going through with Jenova and his call to the reunion. That day up in the Corel Mountains where Zack had told her about it, and about Cloud and she had asked him to help her attain mako enhancements, the SOLDIER had said then that Jenova had shown him things. Perhaps one of those things had been the temple?

"Why don'cha just ask him? Speakin' of which, where the fuck is Fair an' the big fella' anyhow?"

"They went with Red to help him get to some dangerous cave where the villagers all ran to." Yuffie scuffed her boots against the floor, "Turns out his dad he thought was a huge bum was actually this great legendary warrior… sumin' like that."

Seeing enough, Cid gave the semi-charcoaled village one final dismissive wave with his hand and took off back towards the airship with a gravelly laugh.

"Seems me an' furball got a lot in common. Spent my life growin' up thinkin' me drunk of an ol' man was a good fer nuthin' as well."

"What changed?" Jessie asked aloud.

"I 'ad a drink."

Tifa and the three other woman of AVALANCHE looked at each other, shaking their heads with small hints of amusement and blissfully forgetting for a brief moment that the world wasn't one step closer towards coming to an end.

"Where are you going!?" the martial artist called after him.

"Queeny doll, as much as I do like a dirty girl, it don't suit you broads none too much. 'Specially on little sweet an' innocence over here."

Aerith's cheeks turned pink.

"Lucky for you I had enough time ta' get the showers those Shinra punks tore out refitted. So le's go! Ya'll look like ya' could use a break."

Four dirty, smudged and blackened faces lit up joyfully and rushing to grab a few odd possessions from around the camp they didn't hesitate in jogging after the captain.

"The Highwind has showers!?" Jessie cheered happily.

"Sure has." Cid turned, flashed them all with his rows of surprisingly white teeth then turned back and dropped his voice to an audible whisper.

"... an' lucky for me I didn't have enough time ta' fit the locks."

"CID!", "CID!", "CID!", "PERVERT!"

* * *

**Chapter 43 Part 2- Whispering echoes**

Using the one arm he had left that was good for doing anything besides killing, Barret ignored the running beads of sweat burning his eyes and furiously worked to lash his side of the roof down tightly with rope. Pulling on the rigging hard to tighten the knot, an impassioned shout of protest was made by the only person who had been remotely capable of keeping up with his pace as they were roughly tugged on the other side of the structure.

"Woah! B! Take it easy man!"

He spared a brief glance up to see Zack wobbling dangerously, battling to keep his balance on one arm and avoid falling through the roof on to some of the many villagers who were helping with the efforts to set up temporary accommodation. The kid had taken a slash to the arm from one of the 'Gi-tribe' spooks they cleared out of the caverns earlier, which his mako had not healed yet and he had not taken to Aerith as she was too busy assisting with the villagers who were in a worse state.

Disregarding his struggling teammate Barret continued securing the roof with urgency; if he could make do with one arm then so could Zack. There were nineteen other houses capable of being salvaged and they barely had enough time to complete them all before they had to leave.

…even then it still wouldn't be enough.

The Corel gunman pulled the rope in frustration to fasten another cross-section of beams and huffed when it nearly sent the injured SOLDIER headfirst through the rafters again.

"WOAH!"

"Ah fer fuck sake! Get it together Zack!"

"Yeah I'm trying."

"Well… try harder!"

Zack hurriedly wiped his brow, nodded and continued in one-armed determination.

"B."

Hearing his name called he shuffled hastily over to the ladder in aggravation to peer down from the structure that was flimsily supporting his weight.

"WHA'!?"

A startled Jessie was there at the bottom to greet him, holding a metal canteen up at arm's length.

"… I… figured you guys could do with a drink."

"Drink!?" he wrinkled his nose like the concept was foreign and ignored the unimportant notion to scan the other side of the village where the girl had been helping with unloading supplies from the Highwind. "Tha' hell ya' doin' Jess!? Ya' s'posed to be gettin' the rest of the stuff! Th'a hell is everyone!?"

"B… there is nothing left."

"Nothin' left!" he stood up straight in a chorus of creaking timber and cupped a hand to his mouth. "YO CID!"

The airship captain who was overlooking Tifa and the villagers of Cosmo Canyon pillaging the crafts unloaded stock, looked over with a moody scowl.

"WHAT!?"

"YO WHERE'S THA' REST'A THA' SUPPLIES AT MAN?"

"REST? YOU'VE CLEANED MY BABY OUT AN' LEFT HER EMPTIER THAN A TWO GIL HONEY-BEE HOOCH, AIN'T NO REST YA' CRAZY BASTARD!"

"DAMN IT FOO'! THA' CAN'T BE ALL OF IT!? THERE'S GOTTA BE MORE!"

"LOOK BEEFCAKE, UNLESS THESE GOOD FOLKS WANT A FEW CANS'A C-GRADE ENGINE CLEANER THERE AIN'T NO MORE GOT IT? SHIT WE BARELY GOT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT ACROSS THE OCEAN, WE GIVE AWAY ANYMORE WE'LL BE LUCKY IF WE MAKE IT OUTTA THIS FUCKIN' CANYON!"

The gunman's human hand clenched into a fist and shook with anger.

"GO OVER IT AGAIN! BLANKETS! FOOD! ANYTHIN'!"

Tifa set down the wooden crate she was ferrying, looked to the captain who shrugged back and together them and a dozen or so villagers moved off towards the Highwind's ramp.

Barret knelt to get back to work but sighed with a pinch of guilt to see the young engineer he had snapped at was still staring up at him.

"Please, give 'em a hand will ya'?"

"Only if you take this."

His eye twitched but he could see Jessie was adamant.

"Awright, awright."

Reaching down he took the canteen from the no longer youngest member of their group and satisfied her by taking a drink before pitching it over to Zack who nearly lost his balance again.

"De' hell's Yuffie at anyhows?"

"She's gone to see Red, he still hasn't left that place since the ceremony."

Barret nodded in understanding, another wave of guilt disorienting him as Jessie hurried away to help make sure they had donated everything they could spare to the people of Cosmo Canyon.

…even then it still wouldn't be enough.

He stared around at the burnt ruins of Corel, at the memories he had foolishly hoped after Dyne's death he could get some kind of closure on and hung his head.

…it would never be enough.

* * *

**Chapter 43 Part 3- Whispering echoes**

Arms wrapped tightly around herself, Yuffie crept anxiously into another one of the many glittering damp chambers in the labyrinth of underground caves. Her nervousness was not in fear of coming across any of the 'spirits' Zack and Barret had mentioned because it seemed ever since they destroyed Gi Nattak, the caverns had been clear of the ghosts. No, her reservations were towards her decision in coming down here to see Red and in whether or not it was the right thing to do. She more than anyone knew what it was like to want to be left alone. To hide away and not let anyone see your vulnerability.

It was something that he had taught her, the only person she ever saw as her true mentor and friend before Zack.

_We all have our weaknesses, princess. The enemy knows it exists and they will seek to find it, but you must never show it to them._

Back then she had looked up at him from the royal training room floor, surprise breaking through her young tears of frustration.

_Yes Yuffie… even I have my weaknesses._

She always hid her pain from her enemies after that. But then after her mother died and 'he' broke her heart by leaving, enemies became everyone, including her father.

She had never truthfully told Zack who had trained her or how big a deal it had been for her to accept the SOLDIER into that role. It had always been a position in her life that she had been leaving open, forever hoping in vain that one day her old mentor would return.

The Wutai ninja shook her head, adjusted the cloth band around her black fringe and hopped nimbly across a precipice of rocks while ignoring the persistent burning in her chest. She always got like this when she thought about home, something she had been doing a lot lately after the events of last night. Seeing Red lose his grandpa like that, it made her think about her own family and as much as she tried to run from the fact, it reminded her of how much she missed her dad. Her stupid, cowardly, Shinra-loving idiot dad.

Yuffie came to a fork in the road that lead down to the ceremony chamber and decided to take the more difficult of the two routes to try to preoccupy her thoughts. Children missed their parents, she was not a child anymore.

Jumping gaps, climbing walls and sliding down slopes, Yuffie tackled the naturally formed obstacle course, finding it did the trick to clear her mind and when she almost got her body stuck in a crack, supported her resolute belief that she was no longer a child. Trying to squeeze herself through a narrow fissure between two walls of rock she would normally find a breeze, the slender princess strained furiously to squirm her way through the tight gap, taking nearly ten minutes of twisting and thrashing through the crevasse until she was free. It made her realize she was no longer as small as she used to be, especially around the hips and while it was certainly inconvenient for a ninja, she found the notion oddly comforting.

Arriving at her destination with a few new scrapes and bruises to boot, voices echoed softly through caverns, spilling out from the archway of the new ceremony chamber up ahead along with a warm orange glow of candlelight. Yuffie approached the sacred feeling entrance with delicate footsteps, her uncertainty about being down here returning with added potency. Staying out of sight she snuck stealthily over to the edge of the light and pressed her back against the cool stone to stay out of sight and focus her listening.

_You must go with them, it is what your grandfather would have wanted. It is what Seto would have wanted._

_My father protected our people when I could not. I cannot leave, I cannot fail again! Everything has been destroyed because I was not here to do my duty._

_Destroyed? Nanaki. This canyon, our people, this village, they are far more than mere buildings. Structures can be rebuilt, homes remade. But this threat your friends face, the evil that took your grandfather's life, it no longer lies in this canyon._

_But my fa..._

_Your father's path was his own; it is not yours. You must help them to defeat this enemy that endangers the life of the planet. That is how you protect this tribe; that is your path._

There was a long silence and Yuffie clutched her hand against the ache in her chest, one that was separate from the lingering burn of hot smoke.

_But I have only just returned. I… do not wish to say goodbye again so soon._

_The flame of the canyon still burns bright, Nanaki. As long as you carry it with you, we are always connected._

The member of Red's tribe was speaking from the doorway now and as he left, Yuffie pushed her back harder to the wall. A man who could rival Barret in size and stature stepped out and casually noticed her straight away. He set his strong warrior eyes down on her and to her surprise, nodded respectfully. She blinked back mutely then unpinned herself from the wall and managed to squeeze a small nod back in time before he left.

Silence falling again, the princess practically tip-toed into the archway of candle light and felt her spirit sink to see Red sitting in the tranquil illuminated chamber alone, motionless with his back turned, staring at his grandfather's body laid out in ceremony.

Unbuckling the ironwood armguard on her right-side, Yuffie propped the Wutain crafted shield against the doorway along with her Shuriken and other smaller weapons. She didn't know the customs here but with slow respectful steps she travelled down the long aisle, her gaze remaining fixed on the back of Red who was no longer sitting tall and proud like he always did; just mournful.

It saddened her beyond her own expectation and the sixteen year old's heart began to beat heavily, a beating that grew stronger with every step she took. This feeling brought back vivid memories of a day a lifetime ago, the darkest day of her life, a day that she would forever regret. It was the day she had run away for the first time, refusing to be at her own mother's funeral only to return later that day to see her body laid out just like Bugenhagen's was now. It was the same kind of walk as this one, lit up in candle light, never-ending. It was the moment a small girl thought her life had come to an end.

Yuffie grit her teeth to keep her composure but her strength cracked when suddenly the sound of Red crying started in unison with the sight of his darker shaded mane rising and falling in small heart breaking movements. It was the most human sounding cry she had ever heard and one that resonated deep for the princess because she knew that Red was aware of her presence.

She walked over, sat cross-legged down beside him and placed the side of her head gently against his front leg, allowing her own tears to spill down her cheeks.

If he was going to let it show, then so was she.

* * *

**Chapter 43 part 4- Whispering echoes**

Standing at the gate of the quaint yet eerily quiet mountainous town, Kunsel warily scanned over the mostly empty cobbled streets with meticulous scrutiny. It felt like Kalm all over again except even more surreal and despite its innocent appearance, there was a strong aura of danger to the place. This was a place nobody called home, its history was dark, its secrets were darker still and not all of them had yet been brought to the light of day.

"It feels like we're being watched," Cissnei spoke, breaking the unnatural silence hanging heavy in the air.

"Tha' be an understatement. Ain't a fella 'round here who ain't looking at us."

"No. Not just them," she replied to the toy cat peering over Kunsel's shoulder.

The SOLDIER slowly nodded his agreement as another pair of fearful eyes sharply detached from his, hurried away inside and slammed the door shut.

"She's right, something else is watching us."

Cait Sith squirmed uncomfortably, "Don't s'pose it could be that chappy o'er there in tha' black hood by any chance?"

The SOLDIER instinctively took a step forwards.

Directly opposite them, standing alone in the middle of the road on the other side of the town's large water tower, was a cloaked figure. The face concealed in darkness but it remained very clear that it was staring straight at them.

Kunsel stared intently back, searching into the black void with enhanced eyes to try to discern a face but was taken by surprise when his arm suddenly twitched, the S-Cells in his body having a reaction. Kunsel reached for his sword but as quickly as the jerk in his limbs had appeared, the mysterious character rapidly turned on their heels and disappeared up the slope in a blink.

It was in that split second of leaving that his eyes picked up the boldly printed '5' tattooed on the back of the person's hand.

"That must be who Reno and Rude saw at the Gold Saucer," Cissnei voiced aloud suspiciously.

"Or someone who's playing the same game," he returned, logic telling him they hadn't been 'out hiked' all the way from the Corel region by a person in robes.

"Aye, either wey, this pleece is givin' me the heebie-jeebies," Cait squeaked quietly.

A movement off to their left made all three travellers' turn their towards the second floor of the local weapons store to see another shadowy figure as it slinked gruesomely passed the murky window.

Kunsel felt the cat recede further into the pack on his back.

"Ooooh, I dannay like tha'… I dannay like tha' one bit. Permission ta' be freaked out please."

"Permission denied," Cissnei commanded bluntly, marching confidently across the threshold into the town and along the old-fashioned streets with a no-nonsense attitude.

"We could corner one of them. Get some answers," Kunsel suggested evenly, sticking close to the attractive woman's heels.

"No point, I have a good idea what they'll have to say. Besides, I'll get all the answers I need here."

They followed the petite ex-Turk as she approached the lifeless town's 'general supplies' store and together he and Cait took in the shop's inconspicuous exterior.

"Ye have pals all the way out here, Cissy?"

"Something like that," the ex-Turk replied, placing her hand on the brass handle.

"…?"

Cissnei spared a last-minute glance back over her shoulder at the cat, her fiery hazel eyes firm and serious.

"Don't let appearances fool you Cait."

Entering in from the unfriendly temperature outside into the cramped dingy store, a bell above the door promptly announced their arrival but fell on deaf ears. Heavy combat boots creaking the lacquered dark wooden floor boards, they moved into the empty store together and Kunsel strategically split away from his fiery-haired counterpart, casually observing the regimented lines of bottles and trinkets on display that screamed 'general supplies store'.

"Do yee think anyone's in?"

He shrugged to the whispering cat and ran a gloved finger across the thin layer of dust that covered every item identically. His swipe however was interrupted mid-action by the clattering sound of falling boxes from the back room behind the vacant counter.

"WHA' WAS…!?"

"Shhhhhh," Kunsel hushed the nervous clockwork wreck gripping tightly onto the back of his dark navy top, his hand around the hilt of his own sword.

Another chorus of tumbling boxes closer this time and the silver Claymore slid several inches from its sheath but was soon returned when a wiry middle-aged man with short black curls and round spectacles stumbled into sight.

"H-h-hello?"

"… hi?"

"Can I… help you?"

The SOLDIER's eyes flicked across the room towards his partner as she sauntered effortlessly out of sight behind an aisle of dark rosewood shelves.

"Don't mind me. Just looking for some supplies for the road," he called casually, catching Cissnei's hint as did Cait Sith who stuffed himself away into his back-pack fully.

"Oh… yo-you're… you're a... traveller?"

Kunsel turned from browsing a selection of antidotes and ethers to the uncertain and nervous shopkeeper, watching with disguised intrigue as the stranger saw his eyes and his anxiety visibly grew far more than what was the norm.

"You sound surprised. Don't you get many travellers around here?"

A brief uneasy silence ensued as the store owner seemed unsure of how to respond and was being way too obvious in trying to analyse him.

"Y-yes… I mean no… as you can probably tell we don't get many of anybody around these parts."

"That so huh?" Kunsel tuned, turning the vial of a glittering crimson health potion between his fingers. "It is rather quiet, makes me wonder how a place like this manages to stay open."

"We're a family business, our customers are usually fellow villagers… sorry I… hope you don't mind me asking. I know you said you were a traveller but… your eyes, aren't you from SOLDIER?" The shopkeeper lowered his voice considerably, "Is this some kind of test?"

"Test? What do you mean?" he asked lightly, trying not to grin into a glass tube of phoenix down.

"… no no! No it's nothing. I was simply… curious is all… what with the closed reactor being so nearby, of course!"

"Of course," Kunsel mimicked, letting the sound of his boots carry around the store as he slowly got closer to the somewhat intellectual looking man. "So how long's the place been in your family?"

"… excuse me?"

"The store. You said it was a family business."

"Oh, I see. I have been the proprietor of this store just gone seventeen years. My father and grandfather over fifty years before that. I have grown up in…"

The shop owner's stiff and robotic rendition of his life-story fizzled out into an odd croaking noise as Cissnei finally made her appearance.

"Funny, I thought I heard something about a fire destroying this whole place from somewhere. But please, continue."

The SOLDIER folded his arms and leaned against the shelving to sit back and enjoy the show as Cissnei approached the pale shopkeeper who was beginning to sweat profusely. She was doing that thing with her steps and her body language that exuded intimidation through feminine grace.

He loved it when she did that.

"… f-f-fire you say? I-I-I-I don't know what you mean… y-you must be mistaken. As I was saying, I have grown up in Nibelheim my whole life… I-I-I assure you there has been no fire."

Cissnei's soft glare hardened and the cornered looking man made the worst attempt at a calm and light-hearted chuckle he had ever heard.

"Oh, now that you m-mention it. There was a small incident at the bakery about five years ago, that must be what you heard about. Typical rumours, they sure do get exaggerated… some… times…"

Cissnei was standing right in front of the cob-web layered counter now and Kunsel watched the man gradually buckle as she placed a single hand on her hip.

He loved it when she did that too.

"Who are the people in black, Tairen, and what are they doing here?"

"… black?... I don't know what you're talking about… a lot of people wear black… I'm just the shopkeeper!... I don't know anything!…"

"Please don't make me remind you why you owe me… you know I don't like to do that."

The frightened Shinra employee backed away into the wall behind him and removed his glasses while pointing a trembling finger.

"N-n-no... no you don't work for the company anymore."

Cissnei slowly tilted her face onto a slant.

"Is that a problem?"

"No! But... please, please don't make me talk about them Cissnei."

"Tell me."

"I can't! Even if you don't work for the company anymore! I can't… please!"

Kunsel unfolded his arms slightly and frowned, the man was genuinely terrified.

"You know I'm not leaving until you give me something. What are you so afraid of? Who are these people?"

"No! We don't talk about them!… we never talk about them! They don't like it."

"Them? Who's them?" his partner pressed relentlessly.

Realizing she wasn't going to give in, the man whose face was literally dripping in terror looked around desperately and for a minute Kunsel was convinced he was going to try to run. Instead he gave in, swallowed hard and lowered his voice to a grave whisper as he leaned across the counter.

"Shinra are calling them 'f-f-failed experiments'… b-but the truth is no one really knows who or what these things are. They showed up out of nowhere one day, we don't know why, most of them just hang around that mansion. I know you have questions but t-t-trust me… don't ask them and get-get-get out of here. This place is a nightmare! Go back the way you came, st-stay off the main road and whatever you do, watch your backs. Maybe they haven't see you yet."

Kunsel stepped towards the man who appeared on the verge of having a complete mental breakdown and on the edge of his sanity.

"If things are as bad as you say, then why haven't you tried to leave?"

"There's a reason I'm telling you to stay off the main road and watch your backs."

Cissnei eyed the man dubiously.

"If these 'failed experiments' are so against you talking about them as you say, surely they don't take too kindly to someone who works for the Shinra logistics department."

"SHHHHH! Are you trying to get me killed!?" Tairen hissed and Cissnei glanced around.

"There's no one here."

"Look! Everything's gone to hell since the company started a war with each other. We haven't heard from HQ in weeks and I haven't submitted any of the reports we've gathered on these things longer since. I'm laying low and I plan on keeping it that way."

"So you do know more about them."

The curly raven-haired man slapped a hand to his mouth.

"No! I've already said enough, I'm not saying anymore! You have to go now!"

"I want to see those reports."

"If it stops you from asking me anymore questions and gets you out of this shop, you can have them!"

"Deal."

A wash of relief ran over the Shinra employee's face and he disappeared into the back room faster than a bolting deer. There was another noisy crescendo of clattering boxes and with Tairen's ungraceful exit, the cat was finally out of the bag.

"We not gonnay follow 'im?"

"Its fine, he's always been the jumpy type but he won't try to run," Cissnei replied surely, lifting the straps away from her shoulders to set her travelling gear down on the counter along with Rekka. "It seems he's too afraid to leave anyway."

"An' fer good reason! Didn't yee hear what he said!? Ooooh I dannay like this! I dannay like this one bit!"

"Come now Cait, surely you're not scared of a few ghost stories are you?" she smirked teasingly at the robotic feline before getting serious. "Kunsel, what are you thinking?"

Pacing around the dimly lit store at a snail's pace, the SOLDIER thought about his response for a moment.

"From what I've gathered so far, 'failed experiments' seems like a pretty fitting description. They're loaded with S-Cells, they're drawn to that mansion and they've got numbered tattoos on them just like Aerith and Red were both given. Cissnei, we always wondered what happened to the others that Hojo experimented on it that mansion besides Cloud, Zack and Elfe, I think we may have our answer."

"And do you think there as dangerous as Tairen makes out?"

"Hmmm, they're certainly enhanced but it's hard to say."

"Well if they're guarding that mansion, I guess we'll find out."

Cait Sith made a noise of distress and leaped from Kunsel's bag, along the shelves, down to the floor and over to Cissnei.

"Dannay tell me we really be goin' to tha' freaky place!" the cat entreated screechily, tugging on the leg of her trousers.

"You're more than welcome to stay here," Cissnei commented dismissively, marching around the shop counter. "Tairen's taking too long. I'm gonna see what he's up to, you two wait here."

"Take Rekka with you."

The ex-Turk spun around towards him with lively disbelieving eyes and soon the hand was back on the hip.

"He's a demoted logistics administrator."

"Everyone has a breaking point."

Rolling her eyes Cissnei begrudgingly grabbed her lethal weapon off the counter, playing up the level of effort to do so greatly. Kunsel sent her a short private wink across the room in reply which garnered a small smile from her lips.

"You're cute sometimes, Haringer. You boys be safe now," she cooed sarcastically. "Be careful those cockatrice eggs don't hatch and attack you."

She ducked away into the backroom and Cait gingerly dropped the lid and shuffled away from the box of ingredients for a petrification antidote that he had been nosing through.

"Tha' cannay really happen can it?"

The SOLDIER chuckled at the sentient cat, brave enough to take on fully grown behemoths but terrified of shadows and ridiculous fairy tales.

"Scaredy-cat."

Kunsel had a raspberry blown at him.

"Not cool, bro."

Cait turned his small black nose up indignantly and hopped away, unable to resist curiously snooping around some more while grumbling moodily to himself.

_Stay here if ye like she says. Oooh we'll go check out tha' big scary house alone she says… yeah like tha' couldn't ever end badly._

Kunsel shook his head and shoved his hands patiently in his pockets, shifting his weight around to make small creaking noises against the floorboards.

_Pssh, like I'm gonna choose ta' stay 'ere we jittery sweaty shopkeeper guy. No thank yee, that guy's always tha' first one ta' die._

A tiny splinter of discomfort flashed through his temple like the worlds briefest migraine and Kunsel frowned while looking up towards its source impulsively.

_"Dannay talk about 'em" he says. Ooh I've got a greaaaattt idea, let's talk about 'em! Good one Cissy._

Approaching the chill misted glass of the store window slowly, the short slices of discomfort started coming in faster and fiercer. The unsettled S-cells in his system giving him a sick feeling.

_Scaredy-cat. More like knows-when-to-take-a-hint cat_

Leaning over slightly, Kunsel peered out into the square of the unnerving town and felt his stomach drop at the six cloaked figures that were stood there, forming a staggered semi-circle around the building with identical ritualistic daggers on display.

_Pah. It's fine fer yers not ta' care, 'tha' soldier guy' an' 'tha' girl' usually make it outta these situations. But what about 'tha' cat'? When does 'tha' bloody cat' ever make it?_

Staring deep into those faceless black hoods again, his eyes still could not make anything out but his ears began to gradually pick up on hushed monotone voices dancing weakly on the wind. Kunsel narrowed his eyes, enhanced hearing clawing for more detail.

_...where...are you... gre..at...Se...phi...roth..._

_...light...destroy the...light...stop...brother_

_…must... go...reunion… ughhhhh..._

_…edge…chaos... take... chaos..._

_Blehh!... hey Konsel lad, catch a whiff'a this!_

A clattering of boxes overpowered his strained hearing and the SOLDIER didn't need to turn to recognise the heartbeat that was pounding with adrenaline.

"He's dead isn't he?"

"... I don't know how they could have got in."

He glanced back to see Cissnei standing in the doorway with her hands painted in blood and Cait Sith with his ears firmly pinned back. Then he turned back to the window to see only half the cloaked figures remained.

"Yeah… I think we're in serious trouble."


	44. Practiced identity

**Chapter 44 Part 1- Practiced identity**

"Focus Zack, what do you remember seeing?"

Accepting the anxious woman's encouragement to unwisely cast his mind back to Jenova's visions, Zack racked his brain for detail of the temple. All the while he did so Tifa watched him tensely from across the flight deck, her apprehensive gaze making it difficult for the raven-haired swordsmen to concentrate and resist the urge to fidget.

"Ugh! I'm not a bomb Teef, stop looking at me like I'm about to explode. It's making me nervous."

His friend blushed and courteously averted her eyes, "Sorry."

"I ain't gotta vicar's pissing cock of a clue wha's goin' on right now."

"Shhhh!" Tifa hissed forcefully at the only other person in the room.

Cid scowled from behind the wheel of the Highwind, waiting impatiently for him to give them a new bearing.

"Now think Zack, call out anything you remember seeing about the temple or the area around where it might be."

The ex-SOLDIER took a deep breath and closed his eyes to block out the surrounding pressurizing stares.

"Ok. So there were trees, I remember that. Lots of trees, densely packed, kind of like the forests we had around Gongaga but not as hot and not as tropical. And like I said before, it was somewhere across but not far from an ocean, I definitely remember passing over water when I traveled there. There was also… uh... there was uh…"

Zack grimaced when his mouth fell silent, somehow unable to recall any other detail of what he had been shown in the dream. Sure, being mind-fucked by Jenova had been disorientating, but why was his memory THIS fuzzy? It made no sense.

He opened his eyes and sighed to see that Tifa was wearing a similar cringed expression as he, even though she was doing her best to conceal it in her ongoing attempt at being supportive. He shrugged sheepishly to tell her that's all he had and together they turned to a wrinkled nosed Cid who as could be expected, did not make the same effort in disguising his reaction.

"That's what ya' givin' me? Trees an' ocean!? WELL WHY DIDN'T YA' SAY SO BEFORE!?" the Captain cheered sarcastically before clubbing the control wheel viciously with his palm. "Hold on to ya' dongers I know just the fuckin' place!"

"Shut up Cid." Tifa glared daggers, then came over to him with an encouraging half-smile.

"Ah gee Teef, I'm sorry. I've spent so long blocking…"

"It's ok. Here, come with me a minute."

Tifa signaled with her hand for him to follow and he dejectedly trailed after the brunette as she lead him out into the deserted corridor. He was unsure why she was calling him out here, but when she refused to turn and face him the SOLDIER instantly got the message and wanted to throw himself off the edge of the airship. He was supposed to be the leader of this group, the one they could all look to for guidance and now, just when it mattered most and Sephiroth was on the verge of getting his hands on the black materia, he couldn't even point them in a vague direction. He was useless and Tifa's body language agreed with that fact.

"I told you I wasn't fit to lead…"

"Kiss me Zack."

Everything fell silent for at least a minute, the low hum of the Highwind's engine being the only exception.

"... … … come again."

"I… think you should kiss me."

Although he couldn't see himself, Zack knew by the amount of blinking he was doing that he probably looked as if one of Jessie's flash bang grenades had just gone off in his face.

"Can you just say that one more time because it really sounds as if you're asking me to kiss... you."

Tifa finally faced him, her ivory skin cheeks tinged with pink and his gut squirmed to see her expression was serious and that she wasn't joking around. In fact as far as expressions got, hers was about as serious as they came.

"Look, I don't want to do it, believe me it's the last thing I want to do."

"Ummm, thanks?"

She stepped towards him and tilted her head, "You know that's not what I mean Zack. But I think you should kiss me."

"KISS Y-!?" the SOLDIER glanced around and lowered his voice. "Kiss you!? What are you talking about!? You know I'm with…"

"Aerith! I know, God I know! That's why I never wanted to do this again. I even wanted to give myself mako enhancements over this but that's not an option right now. I need to talk to Cloud again, I know it was him I was talking to that night on top of fort Condor and he's the only one who might be able to tell us where the temple is."

"And that means I have to kiss you!? I don't think it works that way Teef!"

"Then tell me how it works Zack because we're out of options here!"

He hesitated and Tifa appeared hurt by his reluctance, a sight which began to dredge up those old uncomfortable feelings he used to get for the female fighter, one that he had to work hard to suppress. Feelings he had mysteriously inherited from day one and never felt like they belonged to him mixed confusingly with the ones that he had developed for the woman himself in the time they had spent together as friends.

"Look Zack, Aerith's been like a sister to me and I would never intentionally want to hurt her or come between the two of you, ever. But I know we share something special together, something that I do think is more than friends… But it doesn't matter because that's how I'll always see you. I know that's all we'll ever be."

She stepped towards him again and though it was against his instinct to do so, he took a mirroring step away.

"No, I can't."

Tifa's whole body tensed and the hurt expression she was wielding started turning into upset.

"Why… why not? Even if there is only the smallest chance it might work… would kissing me really be that bad?"

Feeling like a weight was crushing down on his lungs from such a direct question, Zack's first instinct was to throw her off with the same lame excuse that he couldn't because he was with Aerith. But Tifa had been completely honest with him, having the courage to finally put voice to the unspoken truth they were both equally aware of, and for that she deserved nothing less than his total honesty in return.

"No… it's not because it would be bad."

"Then why?"

"It's…" he fleetingly fumbled for his words, "…it's because I know Aerith won't be the only one who gets hurt here."

Lips parting ever so slightly, Tifa was taken aback by his words and stared at him transfixed as if his face would clarify some other kind of meaning to his response. As difficult as it was to do, Zack held her gaze until she lowered her eyes to the ground.

"I see."

Without another word the martial artist made to leave. He should have let her go at the point but it took only a split second of doubt, of thinking about the predicament they were in and what was at stake here and Zack's hand reached out to latch onto the ex-barmaid's finger tips.

"Teef, wait."

Only her face turned back towards him, big brown eyes covered in a thin film of moisture. She had summed it up perfectly. Something more than friendship existed between them, but a friend was all he could ever allow himself to see her as and that was the real reason why he didn't want to do this. However she was also on the money that they were truly out of options. He didn't believe that this work, how could it? It was insane. But so was seeing Cloud in a vision inflicted on him by a genocidal alien parasite. So was Sephiroth's and Genesis' return from the dead. So were fighting ghosts and spirits of an ancient vengeful tribe and so was vividly possessing some of his best friend's memories as if they were his own.

He had to accept that there were things in this world he didn't understand.

Zack analyzed the dark brunette one final time, then leaned in gently, crossing the barrier of space that stretched between them cautiously. Tifa swallowed numbly then made the same advance, replicating his pace with her watery gaze sticking onto his. She wasn't crying but her emotions seemed to be running high and it was around half way that a tear snaked quietly down her cheek. Without thinking about it, Zack stupidly moved his hand to the area to brush it lightly away with his thumb and the woman's expression reacted to the contact. He regretted the action almost as soon as he had done it. That was a bad move. That was a very bad move.

It seemed like his head was constantly moving two paces behind his body and by the time his focus shifted from Tifa's eyes, as they gently closed, to her mouth, Zack realized there was no distance left to travel and nothing else to do but kiss her. He realized it but could do nothing about it, his body simply froze. The last time he had ever stared at a pair of lips like this they were Aerith's. Lips that from the first day he met the impossibly beautiful flower girl and for four whole years while drifting endlessly in a tank of mako, he had dreamed about every day and vowed that those lips were the only ones for him.

He couldn't do this.

His mouth hovering an inch over his friends, Zack was just about to pull away and confess to that fact but an ear splittingly loud voice booming over the airships PA system beat him to it and made them violently break apart in startled surprise.

_"UH… HELLO!? AH! VOLUME! Volume! That better? Um yeah, so hi guys, Jessie here…"_

_"Oooh neato! Let me have a go!"_

_"H-h-hey!"_

_"HELLOOOOO MY MINIONS!"_

_"Oi! Give it back!"_

_"Kiss my butt!"_

_"No give it back! Hey B! Make her give it back!"_

_"THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING! NYEEEEEEERRREEE! WE'RE GOING DOWN! PREPARE TO JUMP!"_

"Guess those flight sickness drugs they gave Yuffie are working a treat." Zack tried to chuckle light-heartedly, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah… guess so." Tifa attempted the same feeble laugh, tucking a section of hair back behind her ear and looking even pinker with embarrassment.

_"NYEEEEEEERRRREEEEEE"_

_"B! Aerith! Can one of you help me here!"_

_"Ummmm Yuffie. I think you should give Jessie the… EEK!_

_"HE HE! WOW PINKO THERE SO BOUNCY! BOING BOING! WHO KNEW!? OH WAIT… ZACK DOES!"_

The SOLDIER made the most awkward eye contact in the history of eye contacts with Tifa and they simultaneously opted to look away in different directions.

He was going to destroy Yuffie in their next training session together.

_"EEEEEEEE STOP!"_

_"Yuffie! Stop molesting her you little freak!"_

_"…what's going on?"_

_"Look now you've woken Red up! Seriously B! Get off your massive ass and help me!"_

_"HEY DIPSHITS! GET OFF THE TANNOY ALREADY!"_

_"Awright awright, I'm up damn it! Come on squirt, tha's enuff'a tha'…"_

_"NYAK!"_

_"Arrrggh! Why you li'l fucker!"_

_"Hehehehehe."_

_"GET BACK HERE FOO'!"_

_"…sheesh... how much did they give her?… Uh hello? Guys? Cid? Can you hear me?"_

_"Yes god fuckin' dang it! Wha' d'ya want!?"_

_"Ummm ok, so I've got some good news everyone. I've picked up something on the ground density scanner, there's a chance it could be the temple!"_

_"On the doojamawat?"_

_"The ground density scanner... oh yeah I kind of invented it this morning. Anyway I got a big reading in the middle of that forest we passed about ten minutes ago. We should check it out."_

Zack and Tifa's eyes widened at each other.

_"Well haul ya' ass up here techy!"_

"Zack! That could be it!"

He nodded and grinned, "That could be it."

Squeezing lightly on the ex-barmaid's arm, he gave her a quick, knowing glance before they left to wordlessly ask if everything between them was ok to which Tifa bobbed her head and smiled back. It was one of the great things about his relationship with Tifa, they didn't need many words to understand each other and eagerly ushering her to follow him, Zack took off down the hall.

"Well Miss Lockhart, let's go!"

* * *

**Chapter 44 Part 2- Practiced identity**

The nineteen year-old female Turk observed herself in the full length mirror, making only minor adjustments to the longer side of her exceptionally light blonde hair and the fitted suit jacket that neatly hugged her frame. It felt good to be back in uniform.

Of course "felt good" was a relatively loose statement. Her body still felt like it had been repeatedly kicked by a heard of angry chocobos.

Rotating her arm, Elena let the sharp discomfort radiating predominantly from her chest and shoulders wash over her, her expression remaining neutral and dismissive of the pain. Self-assessment complete, she concluded that being shot through the chest cavity truly did suck and begrudgingly picked up the Cuahl handgun from the bedroom dresser table, her smallest and least favorite gun. She was stubborn but she wasn't stupid, she needed a weapon with as little recoil as possible and taking the Chimera she would likely end up damaging herself more than she did the enemy. On the bright side, the Cuahl had one extra materia slot; that was a plus.

Holstering her weapon, Elena gave herself another once-over in the mirror, something she seemed to do an awful lot more lately since joining the Turks. Reasonably satisfied, she wandered across her bedroom and plucked the open mission report that she had brought back from the hospital with her off of the bed. With nothing better to do she had poured over the document an inconceivable number of times and despite this, was still unable to resist giving the profile on the front page one more scrutinizing scan.

What was so special about this girl anyway? The so called 'promised land' wasn't the only pie-in-the-sky dream that Shinra and the science department had concocted. She wasn't the only human research specimen the company had its sights on either so why was Tseng always concerning himself with this girl in particular? Why this one?

She had only been a Turk for a couple of months yet it was no secret even to her that the boss had personally watched over the Ancient for years, refusing anyone else the assignment no matter the inconvenience. It was also no mystery among her fellow agents that he had an emotional attachment to the girl. Sure Tseng was good at disguising himself, the best in fact, but he wasn't fool-proof and any half decent Turk could see it. Of course Reno liked to take that detail one step further and said he was certain that the boss was seeing the target romantically, he even claimed to have seen them groping up the side of a church wall one time. Of course Reno was also a lying little prick and loved winding her up at every available opportunity, so she shouldn't think too much about it.

Sauntering absently into the living room of her barely-moved-into apartment on the north side of Junon harbor, Elena's focus remained fixed on the insufferably 'cutesie' picture of Aerith Gainsborough smiling back at her playfully alongside her adoptive mother Elmyra. Perhaps there was an element of truth to Reno's words? With sweet, innocent features, long, dolly-like brown curls and big, pretty green eyes, perhaps that was what Tseng was into? When it came to appearances, she and Aerith Gainsborough were about as opposite as they came but maybe that was what most guys looked for in a woman? Innocence.

Elena gripped the file in her hands in aggravation, she wanted to feel angry about this assignment, about being tasked with something as demeaning as babysitting the boss's precious little flower girl. But a more rational side of her kept thinking that if in nearly thirteen years Tseng had never entrusted any of his other operatives with missions involving the Ancient before, perhaps this was a real chance to prove herself?

Elena's PHS buzzed in her jacket pocket and suspended in limbo between feeling royally pissed off and brightly optimistic, the young female Turk rid her head of its irrelevant trivial thoughts. It didn't matter how she felt, it was mission time and her chopper was now ready. She snapped the folder shut on the AVALANCHE terrorist and made for the door, taking a small amount of pleasure in dropping the irrefutably gorgeous girl through the heavy company shredder as she went.

* * *

**Chapter 44 Part 3- Practiced identity**

"'Eads oop! They're comin' back aroond!"

Black shadows flicked with unfathomable agility across the roofs and through the streets of the harshly chilled and fog-laden village of Nibelheim. The sprinting woman reacted to Cait Sith's fierce warning and dug her boot into the ground to pivot around abruptly. She launched Rekka at the billowing mass of black robes that was hurtling towards her but the terrifying being flashed away in another direction, leaving Cissnei's attack to cut at nothing but thin air.

She had been trained to fight against rogue SOLDIERs but these things were something above and beyond the norm. They moved with impossible speed, quicker than she could think or blink at times and Kunsel was right, they were in serious trouble. The question of whether these failed experiments were enhanced or dangerous had been frightfully answered and it brought the female assassin the closest to panicking that she had been in a very long time.

Being scared, however, was not an option, she had to stay focused. She was too close now.

Tearing up the hill towards the bleak Shinra mansion, Cissnei ran as hard as her burning legs would go, the sound of clashing steel and magic attacks piercing sharply upon the gusty wind in all directions. Their attackers had not relented since they had left the store where Tairen's body lay bleeding out through a sliced throat and it was clear the experiments were trying to tire them out. It was working. She looked up to the sky with gasping lungs, trying to spot where Kunsel was fighting as Cait Sith fired off another roaring incendiary from his position behind her atop the back pack, weighing her down.

She caught sight of the SOLDIER, twisting along the steep cliff face to their right in another hard-to-distinguish blur of speed with two black figures zipping rapidly around him, delivering ear splitting clangs of metal to the air in a relentless exchange of attacks. They were faster than he was but Kunsel was stronger; though being outnumbered the way he was she wondered for how much longer.

Cissnei tried to pick up her pace but she was already pushing at her limit and her eyes widened when a third streak of black appeared from nowhere to join the assault on her partner.

"KUNSEL! We have to help him!" she roared to the robotic feline who was still fighting to keep the experiments off her back.

"Aye! But these fella's be too quick. I cannay get a straight shoot on 'em!"

She launched Rekka out again, compromising her own defense to try and catch one of Kunsel's pursuers and get them off him but the throw fell well short of meeting its unrealistic mark. Cissnei stared ahead helplessly as three opponents unfairly swarmed and sought to overwhelm the SOLDIER who was putting up a fight that he long should have lost by now. When it finally happened, it was with a loud cry of pain and she couldn't hold back a short scream of terror as she watched Kunsel hurtle down from the cliffs and crash heavily over into the grounds of the derelict Shinra mansion.

The ex-Turk wildly sprinted the remaining distance, kicked open the rusted gate and charged at the three cloaked experiments surrounding her SOLDIER, aiming Rekka at the one in the center raising its dagger over him.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

The spinning Shuriken soared and whipped the blade out of the creature's hand as the other two of the five experiments that remained landed deftly in the garden. She caught her returning weapon instinctively and held it outright to present herself as a new challenge while Cait charged another magic attack over her shoulder.

"Tha's right! Dannay be takin' another step ya' creepy git!"

One of the experiments that had stepped towards them paused, its hunched and frail-looking form trembling erratically.

_"… reeuinion… reeunion… mussst… keep chaos… from broth-ugghh."_

The shuddering inhuman sounding voice trailed away into a drawn out groan of agony, baffling her how beings that looked and sounded this ill could fight with such speed and strength. The experiment stepped forward again and Cissnei was about to make a non-verbal warning of her own with Rekka but suddenly the figure brandished its dagger and darted towards her. Cait Sith was quick to release the primed fire two spell but it crashed against a field of shimmering air and the experiment that had surprised her with the use of a magic barrier was upon her so quickly that Cissnei was barely able to get her weapon up in the nick of time. A blow that felt like an attack from a bulldozer slammed against the flat of Rekka, precisely above the point where her heart was, rattling her to the core and sending a searing wave of pain coursing through her arm. She howled out, certain that she had just felt a muscle or ligament in her arm tear.

_They really were trying to kill her._

The slight female bared her teeth and swung back furiously, slashing the experiment who had expected to get her in one hit across the front once, then twice and watched as blood cascaded from one of Rekka's razor tips.

_But clearly they were also human._

Gaining herself some time, she took the opportunity to throw herself towards the other experiments surrounding an unconscious Kunsel, doing anything necessary to get them to focus on her. It worked if only for a minute and another dark cloak met her head on. She fought for all she was worth but with an opponent that was faster, stronger and she with a weakened arm, clever manoeuvrings only went so far before Cissnei was taken off balance, knocked backwards and then thrown completely off her feet. The woman careered backwards, with Cait Sith getting dismounted from her pack when she landed flat on her back, roughly falling into the lifeless brown grass. The impact badly winded her but she was trained to get over it and reached out to reclaim Rekka lying an arm's reach away and get back to her feet. The attacking experiment, however, had different ideas and teleported across to slam a boot against her arm, crushing her forearm into the ground. Cissnei bit back her whimpering yelp and next thing she saw through water-logged eyes was a knife plunging towards her chest. There was nothing she could do and that may have been it for her if a joint attack of freezing skin cracking ice and scorching hot flames hadn't have plucked the experiment of its feet and buried it through the grey stone wall on the other side of the mansion garden.

Cissnei sat up dizzily, shell-shocked by the potent combination of powerful hot and cold magic being cast at such a close proximity to her head. She blearily saw Cait's hand stretched in her direction and blinked absently. That made sense. But where had the ice come from?

Disorientated she looked over to Kunsel, who was still unconscious, and saw the experiments with their daggers raised around him again. She helplessly reached her hand out in alarm.

The air boomed with the glacial crack of a crystal blue ice three attack, obliterating two of the experiments and the scene erupted into chaos as the other half jumped away into action. Cissnei looked at her hand bewildered then glanced skyward when the sound of more ice attacks littered the area. A furious battle between the two last experiments and some third exceptionally fast figure played out across the roof and airspace around the Shinra mansion. She gave the scene a moment of her attention, trying to discern through still slightly dizzy eyes what this new arrival was among the blizzard of ice attacks, clattering swordplay and high-pitched lashing noises that sounded like some sort of chain or a whip. The young woman's real concern, however, laid unmoving on the ground and she grabbed her pack form the floor, climbed messily to her feet and staggered over to Kunsel, toppling down onto one knee on three separate occasions as she went.

"Kunsel? Be alright. Be alright. Please be alright," her lungs chanted quietly as she dropped down beside him and ran her trembling hands urgently across his body.

A nasty and cynical side of her was fully expecting to find a terrible injury or fatal knife wound of some sort but she sighed with the deepest of relief to see the gently gushing blow to his head was the worst of the damage that he had sustained. Rummaging through her traveling bag the ex-Turk took out a medium sized vial of red liquid and positioned herself behind the SOLDIER to elevate his bleeding head into her lap. She slowly poured the majority of the health potion between his lips and watched as Kunsel gradually came back around, smiling in a way she never she knew could when he looked up at her blankly.

"...Rekka?"

"It's me."

"Are... you alright?"

She glowed at the question, unconsciously stroking her index finger across the fringe of his hair to remove the blood stained sticky strands from his face. The pain pulsing across her damaged arm being disregarded for the time being.

"I am now."

"Did we win?"

"Sure, if the floor was the enemy. I'd say you gave it a good beating with that stubborn head of yours."

She flicked the man grinning boyishly on the forehead with a shaky laugh, her nerves still shot to pieces. Kunsel could see it and slipped his hand in around the back of her neck to guide her down into a tender upside-down kiss, knowing the settling effect it would have on her.

"Yep!... Yee guys dannay mind me! I'm fine! I ain't in pain o' nothin'!"

With a small degree of her assistance, Kunsel shifted into an upright sitting position and chuckled.

"You alright over there buddy!?"

"…I'm good! Never better!" Cait Sith croaked from across the neglected garden, a small white thumb being raised weakly from the floor. "Tha' Cissy be a lot heavier than she looks though."

"Hey I heard that."

The ex-Turk got to her feet, scanning around the area in confusion and Kunsel did the same.

"Rekka, what did happen anyway? How did you fight those things off?" he asked earnestly, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

"I didn't. Someone helped us," she replied and then she saw him, a face she had not seen in a long time and one that she should have expected. "He's the one who helped us."

Standing on the porch of the Shinra mansion, a pair of fierce emotionless eyes set in a stern but distinctly Wutain face gazed at them coldly. With shoulder length hair tied back in a neat ponytail, olive skin and a lean but strong frame that gave off a powerful intimidating vibe, the man before them had a description that at first would sound a lot like Tseng's.

This man however was very different to the Turk leader in more ways than one. His features were sharper, his regal posture more severe and he had a younger looking shape to his face that contradicted the warrior-like grit that only came with experience older than what he appeared. Mako often did that to people. His eyes were also not dark like Tseng's or a typical Wutain's, but confusingly neither were they the eyes of an enhanced person. They certainly blazed an unnatural shade of blue, which stood out in stark contrast against the man's darker skin, but they were a deeper shade of sapphire blue and were absent the trademark glow of SOLDIER.

He was the only Turk to have them and yet Volk's enhancements remained about as much a mystery as the man himself, as did the single streak of silver hair that cut vividly through the enigma's earthy brown hair. Her fellow Turks, herself included however, had learned not to ask questions about Volk's background, especially after he hospitalized Legend for calling him a liar that he remembered nothing of his past. Of course Legend was just as equally to blame for that incident; it was a common courtesy among the Turks not to push for details about another agent's past.

Still, claiming not to be able to remember anything about your own past? Cissnei never believed the story either and of all the Turks she had worked with, she always trusted Volk the least. He was closed off, secretive and elusive by nature, even by a Turk's standard.

Concealing her regret and unease that he of all people was here and that he had also seen the affectionate exchange between herself and Kunsel, she approached the assassin confidently, though one hand remained behind her back to stay close to Rekka. Volk likewise held his signature chain katana on open display, the blade still covered in a glittering layer of crystallized ice. It was a weapon that she had gone up against on more than one occasion' except this time, should he decide to use it, this would be no friendly spar.

"Tseng must be desperate to have sent you."

The stoic Turk remained silent, royal blue orbs keenly observing her with a distasteful expression. No surprise there. People from Wutai always did seem to have a common tendency of being extremely loyal to a cause. Tseng was the same and beneath all the young hyper-activity even Yuffie was no different. Not that she was one to talk, technically she was a quarter Wutain herself. That was what lent itself to the narrower shape of her eyes and the darker than your average red-head's complexion.

"I suppose I should thank you for saving my life."

"I have no interest in receiving the gratitude of a traitor."

There was more boredom than there was threat in the fierce Turk's voice but that didn't stop Kunsel from stepping in beside her and unsheathing his sword a number of inches in warning. Volk's arctic stare flitted to the SOLDIER and Cissnei placed her hand to the hilt of Kunsel's Claymore to stop him drawing it out further. This was not a fight they wanted to get into.

"So Tseng sent you here to keep a watch on us? I have to admit I was expecting Clarissa; seems a bit too low key for someone like you."

His face remained neutral but Cissnei observed the ice thicken around Volk's katana from the periphery of her vision, as if her voice alone was angering him and an abomination he would dearly like to silence. He clearly despised her for leaving the company but she didn't care, she had chosen a new life for herself and it was not a decision she was going to let him or anyone else make her feel ashamed about.

"It is no longer any business of yours, however yes. Shotgun was initially assigned this mission. I volunteered to take her place," the assassin remarked.

"And why's that?" Kunsel returned distrustfully. "Get a feeling you needed to be here did you? Something to do with that little streak of silver hair you got going on perhaps?"

A flash of annoyance crossed over the Turk's face, the first strong hint of an emotion revealing itself before he quickly brought the shutters back down.

"I have no interest in conversing with you. Killing you would be more to my pleasure."

Kunsel drew his sword as Volk stepped gracefully away from the porch.

"Though I will admit…" he continued with his back turned against them, seemingly un-phased by Kunsel's action, "…this new compassion I see in you Cissnei, it intrigues me. You have changed."

The Shuriken-wielder fought to keep her cheeks from reddening. She wouldn't let herself feel ashamed of her new life, but she didn't want people, especially a Turk like Volk, knowing about it either. Emotional attachments were a weakness that could be used and exploited and Cissnei had always prized herself on not being weak. She simply wished she had not been stupidly caught kissing Kunsel. Oh well, it was too late now.

"Yes… yes I have."

He inspected her quizzically.

"You are embarrassed by it?"

"I'm simply wary of being perceived as weak is all."

"We all have our weaknesses," Volk commented rigidly until slowly he frowned at the ground as if he wasn't sure of what or why he had just said what he said. Then he turned and stared off distantly towards the jagged grey mountains on the far horizon beyond the mansion gate, his voice sounding hollow and deep in thought. "... yes... even I have my weaknesses."

Cissnei hesitated, her urge building to get inside that mansion and put the final ghost of her past to rest once and for all.

"Volk… you know you said you don't remember anything about your past…"

"Go! Settle what you came here to settle and be quick about it."

She nodded to the blunt, snappy dismissal, having no desire to question the opportunity to do what she needed to do without a hostile Turk breathing down her neck. Cissnei searched around the ground to find their companion who had thankfully been keeping a quiet and anxious distance away from Volk.

"Cait, you saved my life. Thank you isn't enough but it's all I have right now. Thank you."

The robotic cat's expression transformed like she had a second head sprouting from her shoulder.

"I ehhh… it were nothin' special."

"It was and I'll try and make it up to you but now I need to ask something else of you. I need you to stay out here."

She felt guilty about asking it of him and it was by no means due to a matter trust, she trusted Kunsel with her life and she still barely sure about him coming with her.

"Out… here?" the cat squeaked nervously.

"You'll be safe here with Volk."

Cait glanced uncertainly at the Turk and with more understanding then she was expecting from him, accepted her request.

"…ok Cissnei. I'll wait here I promise."

Exchanging glances with gorgeous bi-colored eyes, Kunsel gave her an acknowledging nod and together they made their way to the entrance of the mansion as Cait Sith timidly shuffled towards a displeased and somewhat disturbed looking Volk.

"So what happens now?" the SOLDIER inquired while together they pushed open the heavy doors to the musky, nightmarish building.

_… hi... so ummm... silver hair huh?_

"We find out if Hojo was telling me the truth."


	45. Innermost possession

**Chapter 45 Part 1- Innermost possession**

This was it, the Temple of the Ancients was close by. She could sense it within the planet's energy, within its voice, within herself and it wouldn't be long before the rest of her friends became aware of it too. The power Aerith could feel emanating through the densely packed trees made her body tingle and filled a small part of her with excitement to be so close to learning more about her ancestors. The other part of her, the dominant portion, was filled with stomach-churning dread and that dark foreboding feeling was perhaps the reason why she decided to remain trekking quietly at the back of the group. A very hot, very agitated group at that.

"One more bite! I swear ta' ya'!" Barret slapped a hand harshly to the back of his neck and roared up at the cloud of tiny airborne jungle insects, "ONE MORE BITE AN' I'LL DROP THE LOTT'A YA!"

"… not… even… Wutai… was… ugh! I'm dripping buckets of disgusting!"

"It's not… so much the… heat, it's the… humidity…. Ninety-six… percent… insane," Jessie breathlessly informed the princess, her close to shock-red bangs hanging damply over the multipurpose gizmo she was holding.

"Zack... didn't you say… this place... was not even as hot as your home? Oh my."

"This place? Pfff this place ain't got nothing on Gongaga. The humidity there? Now THAT will REALLY kill you," the SOLDIER replied perkily to Tifa with an unaffected grin, much to the begrudging stares of the rest of the group.

"I must confess… this is rather uncomfortable…" Red continued as he trudged, head down through the sticky jungles undisturbed knee-length foliage. Powerful gunfire interrupting their unique companion before he could finish.

"ARRRRGGGGGHHHH! I'VE HAD IT! DIE! GO TA' HELL AN' DIE! DIE YOU LI'L BLOODSUCKIN' MOTHER FU…"

"Oi beefcake, quit it! We've 'ad enough run ins with nastys without ya' dumbass bringin' every monster in'a ten mile radius over 'ere."

The grating sound of machine gun fire rattled to a stop and all eyes were drawn to the remarkably level-voiced Captain. The entire team of AVALANCHE watched in shock as the comfortably soaked man raised and dowsed himself generously in the first item he had ever been eager in volunteering to carry. The group's water supply.

"CID!" "CID!" "CID!" "CID!" "CID!" "CID!"

"Ahh, kiss ma' ass!"

Aerith observed from the rear as chaos erupted between the team she had come to think of as family, making a watery smile play at the corners of her lips. So many unique personalities with such different stories and somehow she, Aerith Gainsborough, had become blessed enough to call each of them her friend. Every single one of them had at some point saved or enriched her life in one way or another and made her feel accepted. They had all endured heartache, dark and painful enough that most ordinary people would having given in long ago but here they all were, drawing on the strength from one another to carry on.

It may have been the heat making her emotional, but it dawned on the Cetra flower girl that now they were minutes from arriving at the temple, this could be the very last time she ever got to see this strength. Depending on how things went with Sephiroth, this could be the last time she ever saw this special bond they all shared or such a dearly beloved sight as her friends arguing about water, some with big smiles on their faces. That thought was what made her selfishly falter to a halt.

"WAIT!"

The loud hum of seven lively, animated voices cut out and seven sets of eyes turned to her in daunting unity.

"Oh. I… I… uh," the perspiring brunette stammered, thankful her cheeks were already flushed from the jungle heat so no one saw her blush.

She had drawn the focus of everyone's attention with no thought or clue of what she was actually going to say.

"… I… well… uh… "

Backtracking his way through the undergrowth, Zack approached her, eternally kind eyes calming her but still giving her butterflies like they did when she was sixteen. His calloused yet pleasant to touch hands offered themselves to her and Aerith latched on to her rock with her own that weren't much different these days.

"Everything alright? Need the Zack Fair piggyback delivery service? All piggybacks charged at the knock down price of just one kiss."

"Bleh!", "Oh please.", "… brother.", "Gedd'a room!"

"Hey take a hike you bunch of sour singletons!"

A light giggle eased Aerith into a clearer, less flustered state of mind. He really was so special in always being able to do that.

"I err… was thinking we should all take a break, everyone's overheating. The temple's close and we want to arrive fresh and able to fight right?" she chirped, trying to sell the idea to Zack as well as the rest of the group.

"The temple's close? How do you know?"

"IF the temple's close I mean. There's a river not far in that direction," she pointed towards a dense grove of willow trees innocently. "We could all cool off."

Zack hesitated, his honest urge to make up lost time in racing Sephiroth to the temple clear. Unknown to him they were less than ten minutes away and though it was indeed selfish and weak, watching everyone being light-hearted, even if it was for just one hour more, it would mean the world to her.

"I think Aerith has made a most sensible suggestion," Red supported her first, an analytical and what she thought was a somewhat understanding look about him.

"I second that, I… could really do with… cleaning off," Tifa spoke with a tinge of embarrassment, her once-white crop top slick with sweat and sticking immodestly taut to her figure.

A long strand of being casually chewed on greenery fell from a nearby airship Captains mouth whose eyes widened in delayed realization.

"Clean... off?…HELL YEAH! Shotgun first dunk while Furball, Wallace an' Fair take guard duty!"

"Babes and blokes get separate parts of the river you old perv," Yuffie reprimanded, swinging the heel of her boot backwards to clunk Cid in the shin.

"Can some foo' make a decision already! These shittin' bugs are formatting up over 'ere!"

Zack made an uncertain noise in the back of his throat.

"You sure there's a river that way?"

Aerith nodded, since leaving nature-less Midgar and having her powers heightened in her plea to be given the strength to save Kunsel's life, she had become much more in tune with the planet. It was strange considering it was an ethereal matter-less force, but the lifestream always felt like it flowed faster down rivers.

"It's decided then, but 'blokes' and 'babes' will bathe together."

The Wutain princess gasped and Aerith grinned as Zack turned to Yuffie with concealed amusement.

"It is safety in numbers after all. Surely you don't object? We're all adults here."

The teenage girl's face deepened into a highly comical shade of crimson and the rest of AVALANCHE fought to maintain straight faces until Tifa cracked first, followed surprisingly by Red, the first sign of cheerfulness he'd shown since his grandfather's death. Soon everyone was laughing except for the teased princess who pouted moodily while they moved in single-file line through the willow trees, each ruffling her head or becoming more hysterical as they passed.

Aerith on the other hand couldn't resist enveloping her in a hug on her way passed, squeezing the dear girl's small frame close who blinked vacantly back in surprise.

"Uh… Aerith?"

"You'll always keep being yourself, just the way you are now, won't you?"

Yuffie looked at her confused for a moment but then displayed both rows of her pearly white teeth in an energetic larger-than-life smile and dramatically twirled her body around to throw Aerith the world's most over-the-top thumbs up.

"You bet!"

The happy Cetra female nodded, "I'm glad."

"Hehe, you're funny sometimes pinko, now let's go! Gotta beat the boys before those stinkers try and claim the best part of the river."

Yuffie scampered away through the curtain of willow tree branches at a sprint and Aerith reached up into her curls, delicately removed her mother's white materia and held it close to her heart with a content grin.

Yes, even if it was for just one hour more, this meant the world to her.

* * *

**Chapter 45 Part 2- Innermost possession**

When they had arrived down by the river and thoroughly convinced Cid that any attempt at sneaking over to peek at them would cost him his life, the four woman had systematically stripped naked out of their sweat-soaked clothes and climbed into a circular section of the river where the water naturally pooled with heavy grateful sighs. They had all bathed together on many occasions on their seemingly eternity long journey together and had developed a process between them for protecting and understanding each other's varying levels of modesty.

It had become somewhat of a social ritual and though Aerith had always been the most bashful about her body, she recognized she had become rather fond of the activity. She had always been something of a loner growing up and never had the friends to do your typical 'girl' stuff with. Not that bathing together could really be described as being 'typical'.

They laughed and chatted, discussed Cissnei and their thoughts on her whereabouts, gossiped about how 'far' they reckoned she and Kunsel had gone by now. They even light-heartedly tormented Jessie about Reno at one point, an assault lead primarily by Yuffie of course. Naturally being as her and Zack's relationship was the most defined and because it was no secret that they had become sexually active, Aerith had to fend off a very intimate interrogation of her own with a mortified look on her face the majority of the time.

Despite being almost as self-conscious as she was, she also had seen Tifa's scar, which ran viciously down the middle of her friend's chest, a few more times. It instantly served as a sobering reminder about the man they were about to face, the dark general, consumed by his loneliness who she prayed whole-heartedly she could meet and reason with. For the first time it made Aerith truly think about how hard it must have been, how hard it must still be, for Tifa to cope with having such a constant reminder etched onto her body. It was at that moment that the brunette froze in horror, Jessie, Yuffie and Tifa, they had to have noticed the 'XIV' tattoo engraved boldly on her right side near the outer edge of her ribcage. They simply had to have seen it at least a couple of times so why had not one of them asked any questions or talked to her about it?

Probably the same reason why she never talked to Tifa about her scar.

Angling her face skyward to let the hot rays of sun beaming down through a gap in the vibrant emerald treeline kiss her skin, Aerith took a deep refreshed breath. The bulk of her clean hair was already beginning to dry with only the damp tips sending sporadic cooling droplets pleasantly down her lower back in the modest break between her pale blue sleeveless vest top and sky-blue knee length skirt.

Wandering away from the sounds of Yuffie dive bombing the river the twenty-two year old, in a week today, woman walked into an empty camp finding none of the guys had returned yet either. Continuing on to the outer perimeter she left the clearing, venturing her way out into a denser section of the jungle and when she found what she was looking for, the wildlife around Aerith glowed with added life.

Sitting at an elevated position on top of a mossy rock, Zack was observing the tropical surroundings with his legs crossed and a content jovial look on his face. The adoration she had for him could not grow any stronger, no ordinary person's resolve could be this strong and that gave Aerith hope that no matter what, nothing would break his spirit.

She tentatively scrambled up to sit beside her nostalgic-looking boyfriend, a title she was still coming to terms with using and believing she was actually blessed to use.

"Becoming quite the sightseer aren't we?"

Aerith let her adoration for him show and Zack took a few seconds while taking in her appearance before replying with a chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah I suppose I am."

He always did that, stared at her before speaking like he was updating his current mental image of her. Zack probably didn't even realize he did it but she liked it so she never said anything.

"It reminds you of Gongaga doesn't it?"

"Mmmm. Cid said we're only about half a day's Chocobo ride away so I recognize a lot of the same plants."

Aerith bumped shoulders with the handsome raven-haired ex-SOLDIER, partly to move closer to him and partly just to bump him.

"Back off Fair, flowers are my thing."

"Didn't see your name on them," he grinned bumping her back.

"Fine, then perhaps I'll start taking a liking to swords?"

"Do that and I'll start singing to myself when I think no one's around to hear me."

"UH..." she flipped around towards Zack, squeezing both her hands around the top of his bicep for it not to be true. "I'll… I'll purr like a kitten when I sleep!"

"I'll drool slightly when I sleep."

Aerith gaped, "…I... I'll tell everyone I don't do anything to my hair but mysteriously hog the bathroom for half an hour every morning!"

"You'll have to wake up much earlier if you want to stand any chance of doing that, sleepy-head."

"I will! I'll wake up super early and fight you every single morning for it!"

"Fine by me, it'll only happen when we get married anyway" Zack poked back, moving to squeeze the ticklish part of her hip but stiffened suddenly when he registered what he had said.

For a brief moment Aerith had the wind knocked out of her and becoming light-headed with either adrenaline or shock she slid back into a seated position beside Zack feeling dizzy.

"I … I didn't mean … I meant 'IF' we ever did get… umm… married," he corrected himself wildly, his voice gradually petering out until the last word was nothing more than a timid murmur.

She heard Zack swallow, make a number of incoherent flustered throat clearing sounds and a time passed where no words were exchanged between them. Aerith didn't even know why she was so affected by an innocent slip of a tongue or why as she looked at Zack picking at the laces of his boots with embarrassment, her heart was switching between tripping, soaring and hurting in continuous rapid cycles. She couldn't understand why, more than anything, she felt sorrowful.

"Ho boy… kind of errr, put my foot in my mouth there didn't I?"

"It's fi-fine."

Her bodyguard and partner who wouldn't make eye contact with her let out a very short laugh of relief and attempted to quickly change the subject.

"So about the temple…"

The force of her face coming into contact with Zack's chest suppressed his words, still wanting to run away from that fate for a little while longer and simply be with the man she loved.

"Where would we do it Zack? Where would we get married?"

Her cheek pressed to the soft knitted material of Zack's sleeveless navy jumper, her arms entwined around his strong narrow waist, Aerith closed her eyes, shutting out everything that wasn't just the two of them. He made no reply at first and for some time she was starting to believe he wasn't going to, but Zack never did fail to amaze her.

"Your church in sector seven. It's where I met you and where the happiest days of my life were made. I know it was destroyed but perhaps something of it remains… even if there isn't, there's still no place I'd rather do it. I'd marry you in the rubble."

Overcome with the beauty of his words Aerith dug herself deeper into the side of Zack's body, every ounce of raw emotion gushing to the surface and hovering on the brink of spilling. Some words however, were simply too beautiful for tears.

"That's perfect," she whispered, dearly envisioning his idea. "And where would we live?"

"I… was thinking Banora. It's peaceful, solitary, hot but not too hot with endless country-sides just full of these amazing plants and trees; they're unlike anything you've ever seen, Aerith. It's quiet and crazy at the same time with roads lined by people, children, travellers and merchants so there's never a dull moment. The folks get together most nights in the town, we could have fun, party when we wanted to and I could embarrass you, I… could be stupid again. Most of all it's far away from Shinra's control so you would never have to feel unsafe. We would be happy, I just know we would."

"…oh Zack."

"I figured with your healing skills you could work as a doctor or with the trees or something… a tree doctor! The Banorans rely heavily on their apple trees. I bet you could smile at the trees and they wouldn't lose a single one to disease all year round. They'd love you out there."

Hot tears rolled off the end of her nose, absorbed by the warm cotton material of Zack's clothing. This wasn't coming out of nowhere, he really had thought about their future like he said and it appeared she was wrong that some words too beautiful for tears existed in this world.

"And what about you? What would you do?" she had to ask so quietly to keep her voice level that only a person with enhanced hearing like him could have heard.

"I figured it out recently and you might laugh but… I want to become a teacher. The lessons I've been giving Yuffie made me realize I want to do that, teach normal un-enhanced people how to fight. Banora hasn't got trained fighters, it's never had the need you see. But it does have monsters and in the summer there can be real problems with cases of people getting attacked. I could teach them how to fight to defend themselves, not for war. Maybe I could start with a class of people Yuffie's age, I think I'd be good at that."

He began to laugh and Aerith made a questioning noise in the back of her throat, still not trusting her voice with words.

"No it's nothing. It's just…" he sighed deeply and his voice became a whisper, "…if Angeal could only hear me now."

"He really meant a lot to you, didn't he?"

"Yeah... yeah he did. Angeal taught me more than simply how to fight or be a SOLDIER. He taught me something invaluable, something I couldn't even comprehend at the time, something I'm only beginning to understand now. You know if he heard me saying I wanted to be a teacher, you know what he'd say? He'd say…"

In a dramatic switch from the intoxicating calm aura Zack was giving off, his body went rigid.

"...?" The brunette sat up puzzled, wiping away at her lashes and cheeks to clear them. "What… what's wrong?"

With his head reared to the air, his focus distant and expression dire, her emotions changed radically and a dreadful uneasy feeling set upon her. She had seen that look before and she feared it more than any other.

"Zack? Zack what is it?"

Her question was futile, she knew exactly what it was and Zack's head jerked violently back towards the campsite that Aerith had recently come from. Half a second later a single gunshot crashed and echoed terrifyingly up through the forest canopy sending flocks of forest birds shrieking up into the sky.

"ZACK!?"

"LET'S GO!"

Aerith's waist was taken in a powerful grip and before she could prepare for it, the ex-SOLDIER jumped them down from the top of the mossy rock and hurtled at a sprint towards the shot. Her feel barely touched the floor the entire time that leaves, branches and shrubbery whizzed by, his speed making her head spin. They hit the clearing in record breaking seconds and when the ex-SOLDIER let go of her, Aerith had to drop down onto all fours, her hands and knees pressing to the floor to ground herself.

What she heard next was more terrifying than gunfire, more terrifying than being in the confines of a lab or anything she had experienced throughout this journey so far. It was an inhuman scream of anguish, an impossible sound made by Zack that would always haunt her.

She looked up reluctantly, saw Zack and then the two men he was stood motionlessly across from him. Aerith only saw them for a fleeting moment, the dark profile of the silver general grinning coldly from beside the dead emotionless eyes of a man who was no longer supposed to be a part of this world. Dyne's gunarm pointed itself sideways and the sector seven slum girl would have gasped at the sight of them if she had any air left in her lungs to do so. As quickly as she saw them they were gone, Sephiroth turning and dissolving away into the trees first, with Dyne staying only an instant longer before he too joylessly left in the same direction as the nightmare.

Her head prematurely tried to make sense of the encounter but Zack's shattered voice broke through her daze.

"… no… no… no.. no.. no."

Her racing heart stopped completely and following the direction that Dyne's gun had been pointed in. What Aerith saw made reality melt around her, leaving her brain slowly spinning in some sort of suffocating vortex effect. Stood staring down at her chest, a nineteen year-old engineer swayed gently on the spot in the middle of the camp, dark crimson slowly bleeding out in an expanding stain across the front of her matt-grey tank top.

"Jess? Jessie? JESSIE!"

Aerith winced at Zack's outburst, watched numbly from the floor while he ran to catch her limp body as she fell and watched as he curled her tightly into his bloody arms.

"No, no, no, no, no! NO!"

It didn't seem real, his voice, what she was seeing, it all felt like she was watching the events play out from a faraway distance, from the outside looking in. It wasn't sinking in yet, none of it was, she had been laughing and joking with the red-head no more than twenty minutes ago. This couldn't possibly be happening.

"No Jessie! Not you! COME ON, NOT YOU!"

Horrified with eyes wide she crawled towards them, Zack's tears lashing down his cheeks above the already dead girl's body, the inconceivable amount of pain pouring out of him ripping her heart to pieces.

"NO! IT CAN'T! IT CAN'T BE HER!"

"…Zack."

"SHE'S GOTTA WORK ON THE AIRSHIP AERITH! SHE'S GOTTA TRAVEL THE WORLD! SHE'S GOTTA BECOME THE GREATEST MECHANIC IN THE WORLD! SHE HAS DREAMS SHE HAS TO FULFIL! SHE HAS TO! SHE HAS TO!"

Her eyes, lungs and cheeks drowning aggressively in fast flowing tears of her own, Aerith half reached her trembling hands towards the hole in Jessie's chest and then clamped them to her mouth, muffling her own hysterical scream.

Zack's grief was radiating off him in nuclear droves, a grief that slowly as his tears ran dry and the realization that the red-head in his arms was long gone, changed to something very dark. She sensed the moment of change and as she hyperventilated, gasping for relief from the indescribable pain, Aerith saw Zack reach for his sword.

"He's going to pay. I'm going to kill him. Once and for all."

Aerith wept harder, a man who she didn't recognize laying Jessie's lifeless body to the floor and rising in limitless fury. The agony of seeing the terrifying SOLDIER consumed with hatred however wasn't the worst part, the worst part was that she said and did nothing to stop him because a terrible part of her wanted the same thing.

And then he was gone.

The sobbing brunette never took her sight off of Jessie's pale, pretty face and the desperation Aerith had to see the girl open her eyes again and smile hurt so bad that she placed her hands back over her chest.

"Please Jessie… please come back…"

She knew it was pointless but Aerith's hands glowed with the pure emerald warmth of the lifestream and she prayed whole-heartedly for the damage to be undone. The wound however did not mend under the healing touch of the life-giving tendrils, it hissed and blackened, mutating horrendously before her eyes. The flower girl shrieked in terror, toppling backwards and clutching her hands together in horrified dismay at what she had done. At the same time footsteps charged into the clearing behind her.

"What happened!? I heard gunfire!?"

She turned to see Tifa standing there along with Red and Cid as they burst out of the jungle soon after.

"Aerith!? Aerith What happened!? Where's Zack!?"

"It-it-it-it's J-Jessie… sh-sh-she's…"

"Jessie!?"

"What about me?"

Sanity, reality and reasoning came crashing down again as out from the bushes came the female inventor herself, alive and well next to Yuffie and then finally Barret.

"De' hell's goin' on!? I swear I 'eard... WHOAH! Whaaaaaaa thaaaaaaa fuuuuuuck!?..."

Aerith twisted around little by little, her severely tear-stained orbs becoming equally as perplexed as her companions' at the sight of Jessie's body soaked in blood, the one she had just been mourning beside, standing by itself in the middle of the camp.

"Ahh! That! THAT'S ME!" Jessie yelped.

Face concealed behind a curtain of ruby hair, Jessie, the other Jessie, began to laugh sinisterly, her amplified otherworldly voice reverberating around the camp. Her body monstrously began to morph and disfigure and ripples of alarmed gasps spread throughout all the members of AVALANCHE except the one who was now missing.

"You have tamed my son too much filthy Cetra bitch. His rage will succumb the fifth guardian to my will and bring about world's end. This time there will be no return from your death."

* * *

**Chapter 45 Part 3- Innermost possession**

"So what do you think about this Volk guy?"

Cissnei raised an eyebrow, her steady hand rotating the dial on the safe clockwise towards thirty-six, the first of the four digit security code. She hoped.

"Is this really the best time to be asking that?"

Kunsel shrugged across from the piano stool he was sat on, his Claymore propped between his legs ready for action. The blade was covered in a mess of sticky reds and sickly greens, telling the story so far of Hojo's twisted warped-minded egg hunt through the mansion. Rekka oozing unpleasantly against her back told the same story.

"Just fancied your take on him is all. I don't trust him."

"Not jealous are you?" she grinned slyly.

"No. It's just not often I meet a Turk I've never even so much as heard of and even rarer still to meet one with that grade of enhancements."

"There's no point trying to figure him out," Cissnei explained to her partner visibly racking his brain. "Even I gave up trying. He's what you might call Tseng's wildcard."

"Yeah but he had to have been in SOLDIER at some point to be geared to that level," Kunsel continued, refusing to let it go. "But then I'd know about him… or at the very least recognize the guy."

"Never," Cissnei exhaled when the dial clicked exactingly and she moved anticlockwise towards number ten. "From what little Tseng was willing to share with us about where he found Volk, Tseng said he was working as nothing more than a wandering mercenary and he's never been recruited into SOLDIER."

"So where'd he get them? Sure his eyes are off but believe me, I know more than anyone about black market enhancements and this is not them."

"No one knows, Volk included, supposedly."

As expected Kunsel scoffed at this, "And that's good enough for the Turks is it?"

When the safe clicked receptively again Cissnei continued on to fifty-nine, licking her lips in concentration and immediately regretting the action when an unnaturally alkaline taste filled her mouth which she quickly spat to the floor.

"Of course it wasn't, a guy who's obviously from Wutai and claims to know nothing of his background? They grilled him for being a spy for nearly the entire first year that I started as a Turk."

"When you were fifteen?" Kunsel confirmed rhetorically, making the point that he still struggled to get his head around the thought that she had really been the youngest Turk in the organization's history.

Cissnei nodded distractedly and hitting the third combo, set the dial towards its final destination of number ninety-seven, a rare influx of anticipation faintly unsteadying her hand.

"Hojo's department cleared him of every psyche exam and supported that he presented no threat to the company."

"Ha! Now why doesn't that surprise me? Why is it anything dodgy happens, professor nut-job is always the…"

The lock of the safe clanged open and a series of mechanical clunking noise spread through the rafters, throwing open a heavy wall panel across the miniature ballroom floor and out came another one of the professor's many delights. The flame orange-haired female was about to jump away and prepare for a long drawn out fight but Kunsel swung his sword up into a two handed grip, sped across the age decayed room and went all in with an aggravated shout. The Claymore hit the clawed, faceless creature as soon as it crashed one heavy foot-like thing into the room and he sent what she guessed was a head airborne in a shower of foul blueish fluid.

"Gross," was all she managed to mumble, close to speechless at Kunsel's ability to make it through something that tough in one swing.

"I don't like being interrupted."

"Clearly. Should I be worried?" she quipped lightly, peering into the unlocked safe.

"If you stop looking like the world's cutest five-foot-two assassin and start looking like that thing, yes."

"Five-foot-three," she retorted, grabbing the single key from within and experiencing a quiver of anxiety.

"That it?"

She brandished the key, "This is it."

Together they made their way back down into the basement once more, traversing the precarious wooden spiral staircase to return to the door that Kunsel had nearly broke his foot in trying to kick down. It was while they walked through the daunting underground caverns of the mansion that the mild anxiety she felt began to worsen, developing to the point where any lesser-trained individual would have fallen into a full blown panic attack. It was rare, she was usually always so calm and collected on a mission but that was just it; this was no mission, this was personal, this meant something to her. This was the moment she had long given up on but Zack's inadvertent tip-off had led her to interrogate Hojo on the impossible with hope it could be true. This was the reason for everything. Why her life had played out the way it had. Why Veld was the only person who ever came to visit her at the orphanage. Why her father, brother and a young girl called Rekka had become Turks. The reason why they were all now dead.

Reaching out, Cissnei tried to put the old-fashioned iron key into the door but her hand was shaking too fiercely, forcing her to almost drop it. A warm leather gloved hand closed over the top of hers and before he took the key from her, Kunsel guided her shoulders around to face him. He could see her struggle, he could see how much this meant to her, her eternal childhood hope and her ultimate terror.

"Rekka," he lowered his height to be directly eye-level with her, leaving Cissnei with no choice but to look into his eyes. "I don't know what you're expecting to find behind that door but it's going to be alright, I'm right here with you."

They were such simple, almost cliché words of comfort and yet the way he said them, the eternal conviction in his voice, they hit their mark. No matter how this went, she had found someone to love and someone who loved her back, she could let go of this and move on.

"Thank you," she breathed close to inaudibly and was blessed in return with a delicate fulfilling kiss to the lips, one that made Cissnei close her eyes momentarily and her spine-tingle.

"You ready to do this?"

Kunsel held the key out to her and with a far more but not entirely stable hand, she took it and was this time able to get it in the door in one go. It took a two handed pull to wrench it open and a cloud of dust from an eternity of no use billowed out to coat her torn combat clothing and hair. Light from the outside tunnels was the only source of illumination in the room that had spent an age in darkness, though room was a poor term to describe the current surroundings she was walking into. Tomb, cellar or lair would be far more fitting.

It took a while for her eyes to adjust to see the single narrow coffin sat in the center of the room and she approached it with bitter disappointment, Kunsel's heavy leather footsteps stepping evenly behind her. Cissnei had had her doubts, even the mako-fueled abominations throughout the rest of the mansion could not last thirty years in solitude. Still she needed to see him, she owed it to the memory of her family.

The female ex-Turk paced unhurriedly around the dark rose-wood box, then placed her hand delicately on the surface, closing her eyes with her spirit sinking lower than she could have ever anticipated. The flat of her palm pressed against the flaked varnished wood and in no more than ten seconds that it had done so, Cissnei felt a raw surge of power from inside the box, jolting up the length of her arm and coursing through her body. The electrifying power grew until she was made to cry out and then the box of the lid exploded away from its base like a bullet from gun. Cissnei leapt backwards out of its path, drawing Rekka in one movement along the way. Kunsel was quick to move and wield his weapon alongside her, preparing for whatever might emerge from the foggy hurricane of dust and vaporized wood.

Her adrenaline burned painfully, her ear thrummed from the crash and Cissnei's arms felt jelly-like and shaken from the strange and potent reaction. That however did not stop her gripping onto Rekka until her knuckles were almost white when flashlight ruby red eyes were all that appeared among the miasma accompanied by a low level hostile growling. It rose up, with burning monstrous eyes that could not belong to a human and yet as the dust settled, a distinct semblance of a man emerged. Pastel white skin, jet black flowing hair, crimson swirling cloak, a golden razor tipped claw and six-foot-two in height at an estimate. It was the most intimidating shell of a human she had ever seen, but the eyes, the flaming red eyes and animalistic snarl of pure white teeth said this entity was far from being human. Yet through the demonic guise Cissnei knew it was him, she had never met the man personally but she knew his face from record and recognized the Wutain/Gongan blend he carried in his facial structure.

The stunned young woman didn't know whether to speak or remain silent, run or attack and by the looks of it neither did Kunsel. In the end she only mustered the courage to take a small step forward.

Hellfire orbs snapped onto her from across the room in a swift jerk, her throat was closed in a crushing grip and Cissnei's feet left the floor quicker than the SOLDIER beside her could even react. She was pulled mercilessly by her windpipe across the room and the brute force of being slammed up against a stone wall shock-waved through her back and smashed the air from her lungs; it was a miracle at that point that she was able to remain conscious after the impact. She observed through blurred, spotted vision as Kunsel ran in furiously to attack and subsequently when he was thrown, with one crash of the being's claw against his sword, back into the clouded mess in the middle of the room.

She attempted to fight back but the skin to skin contact around her neck sparked another blood tingling reaction across her body leaving her helplessly jolting and struggling suspended in the air. The creature noticed it too, that much she could see and the human hand cutting off her oxygen tightened.

"The blood of a Valentine, interesting."

The powerful, malevolent being gracefully leaned in towards her jugular, it's face coming into contact with her throat to inhale deeply. Cissnei couldn't swallow, she couldn't move, she couldn't fight back, she couldn't breathe and in a genuine moment of fear she was convinced that the thing that resembled the man she had come here in search of was going to bite her.

"Ahhh yes, I see the appeal that once drew me to it. The strength, the fortitude, the infuriatingly strong will. **Raui ek et bordaug Jenova _thrakatulûk_!** "

The defenseless assassin watched with constricted pupils as the garishly large golden claw slashed towards her face to deliver an unstoppable killing blow. She was prepared for that to be her inevitable demise but the attack came to an abrupt stop just as the gilded deadly tips made sharp contact with her cheek.

The arm holding her viciously captive didn't move, then began to tremble and loosen, giving Cissnei an opportunity to sharply gasp some much needed oxygen down into her lungs. Incandescent blood eyes flared angrily and the growling started again but from the direction the feral noise was being aimed, it didn't seem angry at her, rather at itself or at whatever internal morality was stopping it from killing her. Perhaps it did have a conscience? Perhaps she was going to live?

That was her last fleeting hope until the creature smirked menacingly at her from behind a veil of simmering fury.

"It would seem Vincent would like to speak with you little girl." The unnatural hue of the being's eyes gradually began to fade into a more natural brownish-red tint very similar to Tifa's and Cissnei's feet progressively started to touch the ground again. "Say your farewells child. Hmmm… but perhaps I will have use for you before world's end."

The invisible aura of power surrounding the creature faded and holding her damaged throat, Cissnei witnessed an observable switch take place. His hand was still on her, but no force was being applied and she was no longer scared, she was looking at a human once more. To Kunsel, though, it didn't look that way and when she spotted him stalking from the corner of her vision, her eyes accidentally betrayed him.

Kunsel noticed too and swiftly raised his sword to her captor's neck but in the same sleek manoeuvre the man twisted sidelong, drew a long tri-barreled revolver and pressed it to his.

"DON'T!"

"Let her go. You can press that if you like buddy but you'll be coming with me."

"Hm."

"Stop!" Cissnei croaked futilely as the pair standing off pressed their weapons harder to the others throat. "Vincent! Vincent Valentine!"

Her shout sparked a reaction in both men and though weapons remained raised, a wordless stalemate was declared and the hard analytical gaze of a Turk through and through fell upon her.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Rekka Valentine, I'm Rekolt's daughter."

Vincent returned the hand that had almost completely removed itself from her neck back to the delicate area firmly.

"Lies. Rekolt died twenty-six years ago. You are not old enough to be his daughter."

"No! You're wrong! He died when I was six, fifteen years ago while tailing a lead on the Lucrecia Crescent case. He never stopped looking for you. It's true you, know it is; that… thing inside of you, it knows we're related."

A frown formed in the long believed to be dead Turk's brow.

"What year is it?"

"Two-thousand and seven, you've been MIA nearly thirty years."

He held her gaze rigidly, testing her sincerity and Cissnei held his back.

"That isn't possible," his deep baritone voice whispered to thin air eventually after believing her and scanning the room they were in for the first time.

"Valentine? Thirty-years? Can somebody fill me in on what the hell is going on here?"

Cissnei carefully removed the slack hand from around her neck and though she still couldn't entirely believe she was going to say it, she stepped into view of the confused SOLDIER.

"Kunsel, this is Vincent Valentine, he's my uncle."


	46. Perpetual tracks

**Chapter 46 Part 1- Perpetual tracks**

"SEPHIROOOOOOTTHHH!"

Zack tore through the ancient stone labyrinth, the razor edge of the buster sword carving a reckless scar along the golden walls of the temple, showering the air in hot deadly sparks. His fury burned hotter than the never-ending rows of flaming torches illuminating the mural lined halls, his uncontainable bloodlust making him into the same savage monster he sought to kill.

Chamber after chamber passed by in obscure blurs, all of his senses lost to the all-consuming hatred except the ones hunting down the S-cells moving through the tunnels ahead of him. Although Dyne had fired the shot, Zack was under no disillusions who Jessie's murderer was. Sephiroth was out there and he was going to kill him, kill him or die trying, the red mist would not allow there to be any other outcome.

"SEPHIROTH!""

_Good to see you again, Cloud._

_Stop acting as if you are sad._

_The last thoughts of Geostigma's death…_

_There's no need to act as though you're angry either._

"ARRRRGGHH SHUT UP! SHUT UP AND FIGHT ME YOU BASTARD!"

The ghostly hollow baritone voice continued bouncing around in all directions until finally it pinpointed itself in one direction and Zack honed his sights upon on it, the buster sword and the length of his forearm bursting into powerful waves of sky-blue energy.

_I will... never be a memory._

It came from directly in front of him, from behind the wall at the end of the dead-end tunnel he was hurtling towards but nothing would stop him or get in his way. Raising the billowing great-sword he charged in and with a piercing shout, swung his limit break at the stone barrier with every ounce of distraught emotion he had for a departed red-headed sister, who's dreams he had come to value above his own and would now never live to be fulfilled. Metal met rock in a violent explosion of force, causing the entire temple to shudder and gain him entry through the wall in an avalanche of showering rubble.

Zack stalked into the new chamber, weapon raised amidst the flames that engulfed the room with the single instinct to kill.

_Flames? Why were there flames?_

The murderous SOLDIER turned in one large sweeping circle, weapon poised, ready and willing for a man he once held as a friend to leap from the inferno at any moment. Zack pivoted a full three-hundred and sixty degrees before Sephiroth appeared where he had not been less than a second ago, standing among the flames with an expression on his face that Zack would never forget. He would never forget it because it was one he had seen before and one that haunted his thoughts every night unless Aerith was with him. It was the cold malevolent smirk of victory, the same leer Sephiroth had looked at him with through the flames of Nibelheim after murdering the villagers and vanishing off into the mountains.

When the silver general turned on his heels and began to leave through the flames in that exact same manner, a strong nauseous sensation of de ja vau hit him. This WAS the same scene from five years ago he was seeing, this was where the nightmare began and where he should have ended it.

"SEPHIROTH! DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME!"

Grip tightening on the hilt of the buster sword Zack charged uncaringly into the fire in pursuit like he should have done a lifetime ago and diving through the inferno he swung the blade with deadly intent towards the retreating fallen angel. Steel sliced through the air but the mirage of orange, silver and black changed at the very last instance into one of dazzling emerald green, chestnut brown and delicate ivory.

Eyes widening the SOLDIER's heart paralyzed and he pulled his attack to an abrupt stop a couple of inches above Aerith's face. Frozen, Zack stared down at his soul mate mortified, the brunette he had his sword drawn on kneeling before him in her favorite pink dress, her hands clasped together in peaceful silent prayer.

"A-Aerith?"

Glittering eyes responded to look directly up at him and she smiled contently, her countenance radiating more love in a moment than most could in a lifetime until a flash of pain robbed Aerith's gentle features along with the breath in his lungs. Time stood still and an eternity came and went in the five seconds it took for the beautiful woman's life to slowly leave her eyes. When she was gone, Zack's trembling hands let go of his weapon, the strength to hold it leaving his body completely the moment he saw the seven foot blade sticking out through her middle. Collapsing down onto his knees, his horrified gaze remained transfixed on the point that the blade emerged from her stomach, her precious blood spilling along the metallic surface and something inside of him broke once her body slumped lifelessly forward. When the masamume slowly drew its way back out of her body, wrenching his heart from his chest with it, Zack gazed up numbly into venomous cat green eyes.

There it was again, victory.

The sword left the flower girl and instinctively he tried to catch her as she toppled but her form passed through him and vanished into the floor. Traumatized Zack cried out and fumbled his hands erratically over the hard floor to bring her back.

"Aerith? Aerith!?... AERITH!"

When nothing but stone floor met his cries, Zack cracked his fist inches into solid ground, his already faltering sanity slipping further. He squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth at the floor, trying to ride out the torture of what he had seen but after Jessie's death and the rest of the horrors this life had shown him, he had little left. That was far more than a conjured trick he just knew it and if this was truly how the world was destined to be, if this was the fate of things to come, he wouldn't just let Sephiroth summon meteor, he would summon it himself. His faith that anything good could exist in this world would finally be lost.

"Damn you Sephiroth… DAMN YOU!"

_For the both of us…_

Blinking at the sound of his own voice, Zack opened his eyes and through quivering water-logged vision, gaped down at his own face. He was leaning over himself, covered in blood and riddled in bullet holes and sword cuts. He was staring at his dying self.

_My honor… my dreams. They're yours now._

Zack's stomach turned as his own fatally wounded self, lifted the handle of the buster sword and presented it to him. The ex-SOLDIER withdrew and when a hand that wasn't his came out of him to greet it, Zack recoiled fully, staggering backwards onto his feet startled. It was Cloud in his cadet uniform, kneeling at a scene that was identical to where his saviour and friend had given his life to save him but with their positions in reverse. His adrenaline pumping, his breathing short from the shock, Zack tried to make sense of what he was seeing before his mind succumbed to madness.

_Everything that was, everything that should have been._

_You should have died long ago..._

_The planet clings to it's last hopes of salvation, to carve a new fate from the ashes of its past._

_... but the goddess saw it fit to alter the course of events and bless your undeserving soul with her gift._

_The fusion sword, you really built that thing?_

And then everything clicked, just as the grisly sound of steel imbedding into flesh made his body stand rigid. Agony followed, erupting across the right side of his body, an inconceivable sting causing the walls of the temple to spin and blur. Powerless to move or even scream out, Zack could only cough blood as the shadowy presence of the nightmare appeared over his left shoulder, his hand holding the blade that was in his side.

"Do you understand now Zachary? This is your reality. This is the fate you fight to protect."

The leader of AVALANCHE's mouth moved to speak but he couldn't, breathing alone was becoming torturously difficult.

"The planet will sacrifice her time and time again, without a care, unless the unnecessary cycle of death is broken. Mother came here to do this, to end this sorrow."

Sephiroth's voice was a low reassuring whisper, comforting and persuasive, stern but friendly like the man he once knew and hearing that familiarity burned Zack just as badly blade in his back.

"She can do it, I have seen it. I have been through the lifestream and back, travelled the boundaries of time, seen the world crumble to despair at the end of days. When meteor descends and the lifestream gathers to heal the grievous wound, I will become a god and through me a new world will be born, free from sorrow, free from death. I will be there at the centre to gather the souls, your soul, hers. Through me a new world will be born and I can grant you an eternity together. Trust in me… Zack."

He could feel hot blood pouring profusely down his leg and unconsciousness seemed an appealing respite to give into at that point but he held on, long enough to see when Dyne limped into the room and made brief unsympathetic eye contact with him. The Corel gunman hitched his way passed and over to the stone alter on the far side of the sacred chamber. Zack jolted, causing the metal in his side to dig ruthlessly deeper.

"… Dyne… no…" he rasped excruciatingly but got no response. "… Marlene…"

That made the suicidal man pause, but only momentarily and Zack could feel Sephiroth's satisfied smirk behind him.

"It is futile to fight this pup, our destiny to rule over this planet and travel the cosmos has forever been inevitable. It cannot be stopped."

Despite the intense effort to do so, Zack pushed beyond his limits of pain endurance to laugh shakily.

"…?"

"One thing… I know about you Seph… is you… don't speak… just for the sake of it. If… there was no way for me to stop you, you wouldn't be here trying to convince me not to."

With every word and every image that passed by in front of his delirious vision of Jessie, of Aerith, of the friends he was here to protect and their journey together, Zack's determination steadily grew stronger. As did the icy fury of the fallen Angel at his back.

"You think you can persuade me to join you by using my feelings for Aerith?... Well I'm sorry to tell you that won't work… I've never… been much of an 'eternity' kinda guy."

"Why do you continue to resist?" Sephiroth's hand tightened making him wince, "Gesotigma, mothers legacy, they will live on through the lifestream forever. The Cetra girl will die, she will come to me time and time again and you will be made to watch it."

Zack clenched his fists as Dyne began sliding the panels of the alter one by one, beginning the sacrificial process of unlocking the black materia.

"And what if… I kill you right now Seph? Tear you and that precious mother of yours to pieces here and now… so there's nothing that remains… would that break the cycle?"

The silver general growled and twisted the blade in vicious response to his stubborn defiance but the screaming surge of aggravated nerves merely gave the ex-SOLDIER more of a jump start in motivation to fight. His hand shot back to clamp around the razor sharp edge crippling him and with every ounce of determined strength he pushed back against the cutting blade.

"I'll… take that… AS A YES THEN!"

Zack powered through bleeding fingers to wrench the weapon unceremoniously from his side, twisted low to sweep the buster sword from the floor and slashed upwards in one movement. The surprised general managed to pivot away skilfully in time to avoid the brunt of the deadly strike but not fast enough to avoid the tip of Angeal's sword biting a long path from his exposed chest up into his shoulder.

A sleek black wing emerged so the general could propel himself away and with the distance he had gained, Sephiroth gazed down at the bleeding wound both venomously and with a hint of satisfaction. Zack charged in without waiting, he wanted the man dead and the seven-foot katana was raised to meet him with equal force. They clashed, blades familiar with one another locking brutally, dancing, then locking again. Strength pushed against strength and though Sephiroth was the greater enhanced of the two and was bearing down on his right side to take advantage of his injury, sheer force of will alone allowed Zack to hold his ground.

"Hm. I wonder pup, will you still fight with this phantom strength after she is gone?"

Sweat poured down Zack's face and the mako coursing through his veins seared like liquid fire.

"No… I won't…" The walls of the temple began to tremor and crack and sparing an inspecting glance, Zack glimpsed the alter parting in front of Dyne, some kind of powerful crystal light emerging from within. "… I won't because the only way Aerith is leaving this world without me… is old in a bed… surrounded by people she loves!"

The earthquake around the two locked rivals intensified, violently shaking the very ground they stood on and colossal lumps of stone cascaded to the floor around them in ear-splitting crashes.

"And tell me SOLDIER, even then, will your despair be any the less?"

A deep exploding snap sounded right above them, the ceiling rupturing in preparation for collapse. Now Sephiroth's were the eye's to look away while Zack kept his locked firm and forced their blades to remain entwined. Either Sephiroth compromised his position or they both went down together, he was prepared for either outcome. Predatory cat shaped orbs recognized this and glanced upwards again, then a third time and in a sudden change in momentum, the blade resisting his slackened in hesitation. Realisation hit and Zack narrowed his eyes unwavering, pushing back harder even though a hundred tons of ceiling was probably about to come down on them any second now.

"That's it isn't it? You talk about ending death and ending sorrow... because you're scared of it. You don't want to become a god, you never did, and you didn't accept that parasite as your mother because you wanted power. You did it... because you were afraid of being alone."

A teeth-shattering boom rocked the temple as the supports gave in another few inches, giving the buster sword further dominance over the legendary blade.

"No, I know my despair will not be any less and yes that scares me. But the fear of death and loss is a part of life, the only difference is… you gave into it!"

In the first sign of human emotion Zack had seen since Nibelheim, Sephiroth paled, the growing light of the alter behind the raven-haired SOLDIER becoming blinding bright.

"You let it become you and now you are the thing you always feared becoming. A monster destined to be alone."

The ceiling cracked, the masamune buckled under the buster sword and this time Zack took advantage of it to strike. Stepping forward he forced the legendary swordsmen back, drove his body through and with more power than he believed himself capable of, struck his rival's blade with a blow that sent waves of energy rippling outwards across the air.

Sephiroth was hurled backwards, perfectly into the path of a collapsing stone pillar. Zack quickly spun around, the ceiling broke free and before his body was pulled away by the intense light of the alter that drowned everything out in a sea of blinding white, he saw the gunman's real hand accept the temples offering.

"DYNE NO!"

* * *

**Chapter 46 Part 2** **\- Perpetual tracks**

_I'm sorry._

_… for what?_

_Failing._

_… you mean when you were here?_

_Yes._

_… did you do your best?_

_…_

_… so what's Geostigma anyhow?_

_Long story._

_… hmmm… Tifa misses you._

_…_

_… it's important Cloud._

_I know._

_… is it possible?_

_No. I won't be the same for much longer._

_… and Sephiroth?_

_I'm sorry._

_… don't tell me, black materia?_

_Yes._

_… I'll try._

Hot rays of sun crept into Zack's vision, his body was very much broken, not dying though, that in itself was a miracle. Face pressed against hard gravel his eyes began to adjust to daylight and as time went on, focused upon the impossibly black orb that was floating in line with his view a meagre few feet away. It pulsed horrifyingly, darker than black, malevolent and life-consuming, like staring into deepest space.

Arm scraping against quarried earth Zack reached out to it, everything was deathly silent, his hearing completely blown for the time being. The forbidden materia hovered just at the end of his fingertips, he was so close now but the wounded nightmare staggered into view, one hand clutched to his bleeding chest, the other holding the masmune limp in the other hand. Silver locks were blackened and dirty and deep wounds lay exposed through numerous ragged tears in black leather.

If Sephiroth looked like that, he wondered what he looked like.

Being advanced upon, Zack urgently stretched out to claim the orb but heavy boots crunched to a stop beside him and metal stabbed down through the air to impale his hand to the ground.

_The scene skipped passed in silent agony._

Stumbling to his feet, flowing hand clutched under his arm, Zack shuffled unsteadily forward in pursuit. Sephiroth turned paces away and narrowed his hard gaze on him, then swiped the legendary katana vertically up, aimed towards his torso.

_The scene skipped passed in silent agony._

The climb from his knees was far longer this time. One leg, then the other, then the advance forward, a trail of blood zig-zaging along the way, Zack's focus set purely on taking the destructive sphere from the general's hand. Cat green eyes watched him closely, watched his unyielding determination motionlessly and just when his objective was close at hand, silver teeth struck again. Horizontally this time.

_The scene skipped passed in silent agony._

Flat on his back, towering over him with the black materia in hand, Sephiroth's gaze turned skyward and a blurry midnight wing unfurled. All Zack could do now was reach his hand pathetically off the floor.

He blinked or flitted briefly out of consciousness, one or the other, because when he returned humid continental blue sky was all that swirled cloudlessly above him. Defeated, laying at the bottom of a deep crater where the temple had once been, Zack stared up at the expanse above for seconds or hours he couldn't tell, until consciousness left him for sure.

_I'm sorry._

* * *

**Chapter 46 Part 3** **\- Perpetual tracks**

"What happened to you? What happened to Lucrecia? How did you get down there?"

Kunsel's jaw clenched as Vincent Valentine continued marching through the upstairs bedroom of the abandoned Shinra mansion and more of Cissnei's questions were left to fall on deaf ears. Since revealing that this dodgy enigma was her uncle and after that odd debate with him on what year it was, Vincent had turned heel and was making a swift wordless exit from the building, totally disregarding Cissnei's justly burning questions along with her existence in general. Although Kunsel still couldn't get his head around it, he understood that thirty years in solitude was bound to make anyone a bit weird, but this cold disregard was simply inexcusable.

"What was that thing I met inside you? Don't you want to know what happened to Rekolt? I guess he was only seven or eight when you left for Midgar. Vincent? Where… where are you going?"

"To get answers."

His partners footsteps sticking to the man's heels faltered at the crimson cloaked gunman's short response and Kunsel's patience snapped.

"Answers? Perhaps… I can help?" Cissnei offered meekly.

Tripling his pace the SOLDIER who rarely lost his temper overtook the golden clawed ex-Turk and stepped directly into the man's path. Forced to stop, Vincent narrowed his ruby tinged eyes and tried to sidestep him but Kunsel mirrored the move, forcing the new arrival to witness the disgust on his face.

"Move."

"I'm curious, are you deaf or are you simply being an asshole, which is it? Did you not hear her when she told you that she's your NIECE?"

"Kunsel… it's ok."

The mousy brunette SOLDIER continued against Cissnei's down-trodden assurance.

"No it isn't. Do you have any idea how much she's been through to get here 'Vincent'? Or why she's here? Have you stopped for even a second to consider how this might have affected Cissnei or that perhaps finding what remained of her family meant something to her? Because you're it 'pal', you're all that remains and so far you sure aren't shaping up as being worthy of the honour you hold."

The pale raven-haired gunman held his stare challengingly but eventually something gave and he glanced back to the embarrassed looking female stoically. A good ten seconds of silence ensued with Cissnei struggling to face anything besides her boots while she was being observed.

"I don't do family" Vincent finally concluded, shoving his way passed dismissively.

Kunsel growled, the sting of rejection is Cissnei's face making him ball his fist with a good urge to punch the guy.

"Well it's cost us a lot to be here so how about you damn well try!?"

Vincent stopped of his own free will this time, near to the doorway of the dilapidated room that led into the grand ballroom.

"Cost?"

"We had to leave our friends behind on a mission" Cissnei explained, unsurely stepping forward. "Look I don't expect us to play happy families Vincent I don't and yes I wanted to find you ever since I was a child so I know I've built my expectations too high. But I also came here because I believe you or this place might be able to give us the answers we need."

"On?"

"Lucrecia's child, the one you mention in your final report, it's Sephiroth isn't it?" Kunsel was no Turk but even he could read body language well enough to interpret that as a yes. "He's become twisted, he believes a creature called Jenova is his mother and he's trying to summon something called…"

"Meteor."

Kunsel and Cissnei were equally taken aback by the older Valentines sinister interjection.

"So it is true…" Vincent rumbled to himself after their intense reactions, "… Aerith Gainsborough, is she still alive?"

Kunsel's head was about to explode, how could a man who had supposedly been locked away in a box for thirty years know about meteor, let alone a friend of theirs in her early twenties.

"Aerith? Still ali-?... she was fine last we saw her three days ago" Cissnei replied dumbly, "… but how do you know…?"

"And three days ago, was she and AVALANCHE on their way to find a temple?"

The fiery haired woman nodded bewildered and continued pursuing the tattered tails of Vincent's blood red cape when the impossibly clued up ex-Turk glided swiftly from the room.

"Vincent! Wait! How do you know about…?"

"I do not have time to explain. Not that it would be possible for me to do so even if I were to. Geostigma, Edge, these words mean nothing to you?"

"Should they?" Cissnei replied, close to jogging to keep up with the man's long brisk stride.

"No. And it seems I have chance to make certain it stays that way."

"Wait! I don't under…"

"I do not know what it is you came here looking for Rekka, or Cissnei, whoever you are. But I am not it."

"Rekka. My name is Rekka Valentine."

The difficult edge in Cissnei's voice spoke just a fraction of how hard it had been for the long lost assassin to except those words. Vincent heard it and halted in the centre of the ballroom, the stiffness in his stature softening.

"Hm. Rekka then. You have my thanks but there are things I must do, things you will not understand. Things… even I do not understand yet."

The gunman turned and for the first real time, looked at the woman who shared his blood. Something close to recognition rippled across Vincent's face towards the female who carried many similar facial qualities as him and that was when it became clear not only to Vincent himself, but to Kunsel also that they really were related.

"If I succeed… perhaps then we can talk?"

"No" Cissnei stubbornly countered much to the surprise on Vincent's face and then more so when the petite female firmly shut him down before he could speak, "we freed you so you owe us. You know what's going on so we're coming with you, deal with it. Thirty years has been long enough acting mysterious and playing the loner… even by a Valentine's standards."

The thoroughly berated man did not look happy, his stare was lethal as he stared the younger fighter down but Cissnei stood her ground with equal ferocity. The atmosphere was toxically potent and anyone would have believed a fight was about to go down until quite by surprise the corners of Vincent's thin lips turned upwards slightly. Then he said something totally bizarre.

"You really do know a faster route to the train station."

Cissnei's face broke into what he would describe as a complex mix of surprise and endearment as she had an intake of breath. Then she smiled sweetly.

"No, it always takes me fifty-six blocks."

"Fifty-six. Impressive."

"Thanks, I like the exercise."

Kunsel frowned at a total loss from the edge of the room at the pairs cryptic knowing exchange.

It was probably a Turk thing.

"So it's decided then? We're meeting up with Zack and the others?"

As Kunsel reached for his PHS, preparing himself for a very difficult to explain conversation, his query earned him the full measure of Vincent's austere attention.

"Zack? Zack who?"

"Zack Fair" Cissnei clarified lightly. "A SOLDIER who was once Sephiroth's friend and his second in command. Aerith Gainsborough's boyfriend. He's what you might call our leader."

"Zack Fair… I know that name. It can't be."

Vincent's meditative expression turned deeply troubled, one that was greatly amplified when the already drab lighting in the room became menacingly darker.

_Zack Fair. A fool living a corrupted reality, who's naivety binds his devotion to a world long fallen to despair._

Kunsel drew his Claymore in synch with Cissnei arming her shuriken and Vincent his revolver. He knew that arrogant but exceptionally articulate voice anywhere, he had known it in his earliest years at SOLDIER along with the monstrous edge it had acquired on the ship across from Junon.

The room growingly became blacker, the unnatural darkness encroaching upon them and Kunsel took two protective steps towards the smaller of the two alert assassins.

_A boy blinded by dreams of integrity and honour, who's childishness and lack of piety was unjustly rewarded with the favour the goddess._

The once exquisite room burst back into light as some form of magical based incendiary smashed into the piano behind them in a mangled chorus of shrill notes. The far section of the room was thrown into a blaze but Kunsel knew better than to look, that would be far too textbook a distraction.

_Ahhh but alas, I do not begrudge the pup. In fact I really should thank him. Forsaking the goddess has given me a much different gift and it is by far the more… delicious._

Leaning out from the shadows to be seen by the angry swell of firelight, auburn hair, fair skin and G-cell infused hazel eyes appeared in the wooden rafters above. Sat leaning languidly against the medieval beams, one leg swinging freely in mid-air with his Rapier being casually toyed with in hand, Genesis Rhapsodos peered down at them amused.

"But I see this impossible timeline has been equally as 'delectable' for you Haringer."

The goading menace was hinting at his newly appointed lover and though Cissnei maintained her resolute battle-ready stance with grit teeth, her cheeks flushed in the deadly blazing light. Kunsel raised his sword, pointing it skyward towards Genesis as the fires at their backs cracked and roared in thriving intensity.

"I see not that much has changed Genesis. I never did understand half the crap you came out with."

The fallen crimson commander chuckled and half flew, half jumped into a standing position in the rafters. Then he turned his attention to the fourth person in the room and caramel orbs gleamed in delight.

"So this is the great Vincent Valentine, I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting before. Sephiroth has quite a bit to say about you."

The composed gunman flicked his eyes up, stony gaze expressing little interest in the new threat as Kunsel and Cissnei exchanged brief glances of confusion.

"Ahh so you have not told them yet. Forgive me, in hindsight I suppose I did crash your rather touching family reunion somewhat early."

"What do you want?" Vincent ordered disdainfully, emanating a clear disliking for people who talked too much.

"Oh you know what I want Vincent, because you know what I am. Just as I know what you are." Genesis began idly stalking the length of the beam with perfect control and balance, his voice light and tuneful. "The man with the demon inside of him who saved the world! That's what they used to call you was it not? Or will call you I suppose? I get so confused."

All of a sudden the former SOLDIER commander and hero of Wutai dropped to his haunches, leaning treacherously forward as his hazel eyes snapped abruptly into horrifying flashlight red. The same demonic hue that had terrified Yuffie on the ship from Junon, the same pupilless shine that Vincent's had first been in the basement and Kunsel would have recoiled the same as his partner at the inhuman voice if he hadn't of already heard it.

"But you see Valentine, there are many demons that exist in this realm." The dark predatory version of Genesis grinned wolfishly with mirth at Cissnei's reaction, his voice echoing chillingly. "Ahhh that never gets tiring."

"Cut the melodramatics Genesis, now tell us what you want!" Kunsel demanded resolutely.

"Is it not clear? This power I wield could challenge the might of Minerva herself. Now I beseech you imagine what I could do to her if I were to possess the strength of _two_ demons" Genesis drooled his words out, sights locked onto Vincent with an insane almost hungry greed.

_So this was how the crimson commander had returned and the reason he was here._

Kunsel resisted the urge to openly display his shock at what he was hearing. He didn't need to know much about demons to know this was unhinged madness and by the sounds of it neither did Cissnei.

"That's crazy! You want to join yourself with another one of those things and become a monster simply because some goddess didn't chose you as her favourite!? What makes you think that would even work!?"

Genesis, or whatever was left of Genesis, simply laughed ferociously.

"Child, do you not read? When the war of the beasts brings about worlds end. The goddess descends from the sky." Kunsel shuddered, never something he thought he would do from a loveless quote. "Who did you think the beasts were? With the power of Chaos and Agni I will challenge the creatures of the underworld, create a war that will cover all of Gaia in flames and when her almighty highness descends from her lofty throne… then I will have revenge for my betrayal."

In a dramatic show of power, Genesis' hands set ablaze, rapidly growing flames that instantly skyrocketed the temperature of the room and rested only when Vincent stepped forward challengingly.

"Hm. You know nothing of demons. They cannot be controlled. They will tear you apart and consume you for their own agendas. Nobody's will is strong enough to contain two of them "

Genesis cocked his head with a mock pout as the inferno he was conjuring continued gathering pace again, chocking the oxygen from the room and causing the dry centuries old timber of the mansion to crack under the heat.

"Come now Vincent. Your lack of faith in me hurts."

With the same feistiness he always loved about her, Cissnei marched forward, spun Rekka into a launching grip and in an uncanny coincidence that made Kunsel do a double take, she and Vincent uttered the same words before attacking.

"I've heard enough."

Four red razor points of steel and six rounds of gunfire took to the air with pinpoint precision and the intent to kill. Reacting instantly to the attack a supernatural wall of fire went up, repelling the missiles and dispersing outwards violently revelling Genesis unharmed, a hostile but exhilarated snarl across his features and the firestorm he was generating still escalating.

"Now that was not very nice."

Air becoming suffocating hot, the beam once supporting the crazed Banoran long burnt away, Kunsel knew what was coming next, sheathed his sword and ran.

"After all Valentines, WE HAVE ONLY JUST MET!"

With a ferocity that not even the strongest materia or the largest mountain black dragon could muster, the air was set alight in scorching waves at a speed no human could escape.

But Kunsel had relinquished his humanity long ago and this was not going to be Kalm again.

Grabbing Cissnei roughly, the SOLDIER moved fast, snatching the slight woman off her feet by the waist to tear for the door and dive from the room with a speed that made even his head spin. Flames gushed from the doorway after them and reacting in that micro-second of flight towards the incoming fall, Kunsel rotated in mid-air to position the female assassin on top and clutched her close, ready to take the brunt of the harsh backwards descent down the grand staircase himself.

They bounced in numerous heavy but manageable impacting blows while the sound of gunfire crashed out through the mansion from Vincent who had somehow managed to escape the attack by twisting himself airborne in a shroud of swirling crimson. All Kunsel knew was, uncle or not, this was not a fight he was going to let the man drag Cissnei into.

Hitting the final stage of the fall the SOLDIER kept his body relaxed and once they skidded to stop across the solid wood flooring at the bottom, he blinked off the stars quickly, skull thoroughly rattled. Loosening his dangerously tight grip around Cissnei, Kunsel turned his full focus down to the woman whose face was buried in his top, gasping erratically into his torso with her chest spiking up and down in short sharp breaths.

She was handling it well, the fragile human body was not made for going straight from nought to god only knew what speed that quickly. Keeping the woman who had the wind knocked out of her near, Kunsel shifted upright, tucked back a section of pretty flame-orange hair and rested Cissnei's cheek against his to place his mouth close to her ear.

"Rekka copy me. Here, like this." The SOLDIER exaggerated deep in and out breaths letting her hear the rhythm as well as feel it. "That's it, you're alright. Like this."

It didn't take long until she was mimicking his guidance identically and arms that had been hanging limp at the sides gripped on to him and Cissnei nodded.

"… you… you saved… my life."

Kunsel squeezed out a laugh though truthfully this was the first time in a long time that being so close to death had left him terrified.

"You'd do the same for me right?"

Cissnei took her own weight and affectionately pressed her lips to his cheek. An action no man's pride could resist being charmed by.

"I'd do anything for you."

A secret shiver ran down his spine. That was the reason he was scared, he now had something to live for, something that was real, something that wasn't about a memory or righting the wrongs of the past. Something that wasn't about Kalm.

"In that case, don't ever be in a position to die on me." He pulled them both up into standing positions. "Let's get out of here."

Kunsel felt the flinch in Cissnei's fingertips.

"And leave him?"

"We can't help. Genesis, Vincent, those things they carry, they are on a whole other level to you and me. We need to go."

The battle-worn assassin glanced despairingly up the staircase towards the second floor of the mansion that was entirely ablaze and alive with the continuous sound of gunfire and explosive demolition from a vicious inhuman battle. The building would not be standing after this and Kunsel could see she knew he was right. Yet the desperation not to give up on the man she had sought out for so many years of her life still lingered. He was a stranger to her, but one she had pinned a lifetime of childhood hopes and dreams upon.

"Vincent will be fine, he's a Valentine right?"

"So were my father and brother… that doesn't mean anything."

"Yeah but they didn't have some ancient all-powerful demon spirit in them did they? Have you seen this guy? I wouldn't be surprised if he's invincible."

"Really?"

"Probably. That's usually how this sort of thing goes right?"

Cissnei's face told him 'this sort of thing never happens' but her body said 'I trust you' and her hand hanging loosely in his, gripped tight.

"Ok… let's go."

Nodding Kunsel ran them through the clamor, heading straight for the exit to get her clear from this madness. He even managed to get a hand on the heavy closed barrier until a vacuumed boom, similar to an object hitting supersonic, rocked the building and something large pounded forcefully into the ajar door buckling it shut.

"VINCENT!"

Cissnei reached out to help the smoking ex-Turk who was somehow not crippled by the impace to his feet. The gunman however straightened up graciously of his own accord, his gaze leveling on the shuriken wielder calmly, albeit a bit confused. He still did not get why she cared. Well if they managed to make it out of this alive, Kunsel would make damn sure he found out.

"Not going so soon are we?"

Genesis appeared at the top of the staircase, striking black wing on full view against the backdrop of his own fiery destruction.

"Does my company bore you? Perhaps you would like me to arrange for some new guests?"

"Genesis! This is enough!"

"No Kunsel Haringer, 'first SOLDIER to ever decline a promotion to first'" the commanders voice dripped with amusement and ridicule. "We are just getting started."

The sound of clattering swords and the distinct piercing ring of ice magic flurried around outside. Some other intense battle Volk was engaged in drifting into earshot.

Cissnei glanced his way.

"The experiments?"

Suddenly the ground began to tremor, then shake, a rhythmic pounding drawing ever-closer from outside. The trio backed away from the door while being mindful never to take their sights off Genesis who looked positively ecstatic.

"Those abominations?" Genesis spat. "You are mistaken. See they are Sephiroth's brothers and sisters. "

The weakened door burst open and Volk came careerering painfully into the building accompanied with a stomach churning roar, only just about managing to artfully recover the wild tumble with a crouched landing on his feet.

"These are mine" Genesis crooned darkly.

The ice-reaper at the doorway launched the long chain of his katana from the building just before something that felt like a behemoth diving headfirst into the ground rocked the earth.

_Com'on then! I'll teach ye a lesson ya' big rotten be-EEEEEEAST!_

Caith Sith came spiraling into the room and was flicked abruptly off the end of Volk's chain to land face down in Kunsel's boots. The mechanical feline muffled some more unintelligible slur before looking up and noticing the SOLDIER cheerfully.

"Eyyyyy Konsel lad! We uhhh… we got a wee problem."

The thundering footsteps crashed sinisterly closer until remaining upright through the quake was a challenge in and of itself.

"Perhaps you will remember my siblings Vincent? They have been most eager to see you again."

What remained of the shattered door was not only destroyed, but the entire frame along with the surrounding wall was obliterated with one barbaric strike, forcing Volk to agilely leap away. With the five of them forced into closer quarters Vincent gravely readied his gun.

"Keep them separated. Don't fight the big one head on."

Resigned to the fate that the only way to keep Cissnei safe now was to fight, Kunsel drew his sword as through the rubble came a new disturbing set of opponents.

The largest and most impossible brute of a man wielding an anti-aircraft gun, covered in neon blue veins.

A maniacally grinning woman in crimson pauldrons, back skirt, scant black leather armour and heels carrying a fearsomely long double sided scimitar.

A girl of no more than twelve wielding duel laser rods who's distant expressionless appearance made Vincent flinch in the periphery of his vision.

Finally and most disturbingly of them all because he was a face Kunsel recognized. A shirtless man with spiked jet-white hair carrying signature long and short lever-action gunblades that a generation of young men once idolized. He recognized the man because he was once one of the greatest first class elites that SOLDIER had ever had near on two decades ago. A commander forgotten by most who was announced as being KIA during the Mideel insurgency.

"… Xander Weiss"


	47. Please don't

**Chapter 47 Part 1- Please don't**

The Shinra mansion had transformed into an explosion of pure anarchy, a warzone that was progressively struggling to maintain the chaos within as the building was slowly becoming torn to pieces. Vincent and Genesis had disappeared through the roof locked in battle once more, the latter reaping incredible destruction everywhere he went. The crimson commander always did have a fiery temperament but this new Genesis made the old one look tame and it gave Kunsel little hope for the gunman's chance.

Cait Sith was engaged against the insane bloodthirsty 'Rosso' woman... though running for his life while throwing out the odd spell or two as the laughing sadist chased him hardly constituted as an 'engagement'. At least he was occupying her, for now.

Most interestingly of them all and what grabbed Kunsel's attention the most was Volk battling the legendary gunblade wielder of old and not having his ass kicked. Weiss had been a generations finest and with that kind of military prowess no real Turk could hope to compete in a direct fight. Yet here the agent was, holding his own and making it glaringly obvious that a suit and a social incompetency was all Volk shared with his other agents. It was the man's swordsmanship that betrayed him the most, it spoke warrior far more than it did assassin and any trained eye could see from the finer details like the way Volk held his sword or the finesse in his swings, this enhanced conundrum fought with the traces of style too similar to an elite Wutain royal guard to be a coincidence. This guy had once been a somebody and in spite of Cissnei's claim that it was futile, the naturally inquisitive SOLDIER would make it his personal mission, if they made it out of this fix that is, to find out who that somebody had been.

Turks didn't fight like that they fought differently, often with speed, agility, no small measure of sly tactics and a directness that many perceived as fighting 'dirty'. They didn't seek to understand or play fair with their opponents, they fought for the purpose of ending a job, exactly how his partner was fighting now.

Lending a glance towards Cissnei, the nimble woman was the embodiment of those tell-tale assassin traits but disturbingly so to was her vacant rival, retaliating with an implausible skill far beyond her physical years. The pre-teen girl who Genesis boastfully introduced as 'Shelke the transparent', a name he recognised but could not place, was unlike anything he had ever seen and was proving a real challenge for his partner. Each attack the girl executed was unnaturally flawless and calculated, robotic even, and from the discomfort Kunsel could see hidden behind the ex-Turk's eyes, he wasn't entirely sure that even if Cissnei did manage to find an opening on the young girl, she would actually take it.

"Well I guess that just leaves me and you big guy."

The clamour of clashing steel and destructive magic was superseded by a heavy footstep crashing forward, splintering floorboards in its wake and casting a colossal darkening shadow over the SOLDIER. With his Claymore resting across his shoulders, Kunsel rotated around to face the genetically enhanced bear like giant who was leering down at him with a wide animalistic grin of enthusiasm.

_Fangs… of course he'd have fangs._

"Who comes before Azul the Cerulean?"

The second secretly winced at the booming bass and surprisingly intelligent voice, feeling like he had drawn a short straw. He was hoping for the voice to have carried more of a stereotypical oafish slur, he could have handled a half-wit.

"Colours? Really? Guess that makes me Kunsel Haringer the uh... lightish brown then."

The SOLDIER's mock remark forced an easily provoked shadow of anger onto the cobalt haired Tsviet's neon tattooed guise.

_Now that he could use._

A heavy barrelled chamber clicked and multi-coloured orbs rolled as the hefty machine gun that should have been attached to a grade-A turret whirred into life.

"There was no need to get offended."

"Arrrrhhhaha, come then Kunsel Haringer, let us do battle!"

Spinning chamber letting loose the seconds innards surged with mako instinctively and Kunsel took off across the mansion as far in the other direction from where Cissnei could be at risk of getting hit as possible. A hail of bullets that put Barret's firepower to shame ripped through the great hall, tearing after his heels with the sole intention to bite. Floors, walls and luxurious furniture alike were shredded by the onslaught, blasting shrapnel and debris in every direction as the already deafening volume of combat in the room reached a level that was splintering. The brunette with ringing ears kept his head down and narrowly evaded the closer-than-comfort projectiles, very much aware that after fighting the experiments he had little reserves remaining and wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. He needed a distraction.

Thinking on his feet Kusnel set his sights on a sturdy looking chaise lounge chair burning across the room and ran for it, ducking a stray blizzard attack that escaped the hurricane between Volk and Weiss and lunging when a single bullet made it close enough to nick at the rubber heel of his boot. Back hitting smouldering hot timber he skidded under the furniture and connected his heavy-duty footwear into the unit to launch it towards the ferocious gunner.

His tracks temporarily covered Kunsel took the initiative to platform along the outer wall leading into the library and take his hard earned opportunity to attack. Leaping through the doorway into the vapour off a thoroughly annihilated chair, the incredible length of the problematic gun still furiously firing off its rounds glinted temptingly at him through the haze. Descending on the exposed weapon the swordsmen swung his claymore overhead, lined his strike up with the barrel and brought his sword directly down upon it with full force. Thoroughly battle-worn sky steel met with what must have been a higher quality than expected black titanium in a disappointing clang and shockwaves rippled up both Kunsel's arms, his body jarring to a stop in mid-air.

_Well that had been optimistic._

Blue and gold orbs met burning gold and the corner of the Tsviet's mouth upturned in amusement. Next the wind and room rushed by as a battering ram pretending to be an arm pulverized into his side, delivering him on very long and painful journey across the mansion.

With no control of his limbs Kunsel spiralled in freefall, crashing into something soft along the way and tumbled across the floor in a shower of glass after travelling through the window of the derelict downstairs conservatory.

Coming to a dizzy halt and having seen better days, the SOLDIER shuffled his hand through the sharp mess of the shattered pane and tried to push off faster than his body would allow him to get up.

_Well… that sucked._

He managed to get his head upright and began to gather his senses in the new surroundings until the sensation of a small pair of legs moving under his torso set his alarm bells off. Kunsel shifted to peer beneath him and in doing so the pinned legs pulled out sharply and his wounded side was met with another energetic blow, the kick flipping him onto his back with a grunt. A slight body that could only belong to one of two females climbed on top of him and his reactions were just about quick enough to get his hand locked into the girls elbow to stop a laser rod as it descended towards his face. The scorching red instrument hot enough to cut through metal radiated painful waves of heat into his eyes and forced its way ever closer, Shelke above him displaying none of the exertion from the incredible amount of force she was applying. Baring his teeth the weakened SOLDIER pushed back and was about to attempt flipping her meagre weight off him but the lethal point of a crimson shuriken pressed itself to the girls neck first.

"Get off him."

Cissnei appeared, breathing heavily with a cauterized cut exposed along her torso through singed clothing and she slipped in behind the youngest Tsviet to pull warningly on the girls shoulder length hair.

"I will kill you, I don't care how old you are."

Identical burning gold eyes cocked sideways at this and Shelke spoke her first words.

"You are lying."

The statement wasn't a test or a show of confidence, the young voice still a number of years more mature than her body spoke in a purely factual tone. Nevertheless the arms trying to murder him relented.

"Are you alright?"

Kunsel rose to his feet and bobbed his head as Cissnei forced both females to climb up off him.

"Just as alright as you are. Which isn't alright enough to fight that lot out there."

Holding his gaze the fiery-haired assassin could see that what he was saying was the truth, that they were simply far too worn down and outmatched to win this fight.

"Then let's find out just how close these 'siblings' really are to each other."

Cissnei tightened her hold on Shelke, pressed the smaller girl closer to her body with Rekka still at her throat and together they stepped out into the destruction just in time to see Volk as he lost his relentless battle.

Gracefully parrying the combined onslaught of Weiss' gunblades the Turk was sticking to his opponent skilfully and tried jumping after 'the immaculate' SOLDIER when he repositioned to chandelier above. Not noticing the Cerulean amidst the anarchy at his back the behemoth's arm grabbed the ganged up on Wutain's ankle in flight, drove him forcefully into the ground and Kunsel winced as the agent got stomped underfoot.

Meanwhile Cait Sith, who was struggling as the long elegant nails of the crimson masochist stroked him scratchily, cheered to them as they walked in the room.

"Ha! Ye got one! Good job Cissy lass! Give 'em what for!"

"Stop or I kill her."

The insanity in the mansion ceased, a silence that was eventually broken by the female scimitar wielder holding Cait hostage chuckling eerily and the giant pinning an unmoving Volk doing likewise.

"Arrrrrrhaha, always the weakest Shelke."

"You know how this works" Kunsel interrupted, noting the girls total lack of response to the Cerulean's derision. "… you let ours go, we let yours go, we walk out of here. Let's not pretend either sides are willing to make pointless sacrifices today."

Azul and Rosso exchanged cold smirks with one another and the SOLDIER's certainty of his words wavered then broke when Weiss landed in front of him.

"Kill her, she would welcome it."

Rising to his full height the bleached commander's demeanour was just as ferocious as the historical reports described him to be.

"For our cause she would gladly give her life. Isn't that right little sister?"

The girl in Cissnei's arms monotone response was immediate.

"Yes."

Refusing to show weakness Kunsel held his ground, his claymore meeting the tip of one of the gunblades to put up a display of strength that was at this point nothing more than a necessary front.

"And is YOUR cause really the one that see's the world burned to ruins all for revenge against some goddess? Or is that Genesis' agenda and I'm looking at nothing more than a room full of obedient servants?"

Azul sending the crimson Tsviet a less than subtle give-away glance in the background was all he or the ex-Turk behind him needed.

"Genesis, he's promised you all something, hasn't he?" Cissnei pressed for any sort of advantage.

A thin smile crossed the once codenamed 'white emperor's' lips and Kunsel recoiled as the warrior disappeared in front of his eyes in a flash of light.

"Once the restrictors are dead, we will be unstoppable. Nothing before or after that end matters."

Swinging his sword around towards the steely voice somehow at his back, the SOLDIER worked to disguise his shock at the mans speed as he cut through thin air again, Weiss somehow seeming to just vanish.

_So this was the true power of the white commander._

"And you would let one of your own die for no reason!?" Kunsel barked out, trying to locate his toying rival.

"Would I trade our little sister for this peculiar thing?" Weiss now stood off the shoulder of the female Tsviet, referring to Cait. "I'm afraid I have no choice. It would seem Rosso has become quite attached to it… and there's only one thing she likes to do to things she is attached to."

Seeing the crimson woman's blood red eyes flash with dark delight, her grip tightening around the sentient feline, Kunsel raised his sword and not for show this time.

"Let him go."

"Or what darling?" the scantily dressed Tsviet hummed, her words laced with a heavy accent that was distinctly from the further reaches of the northern winter continent. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Pah! There be no point in reasonin' with these crazies. Jos' leave guys! I'm nout but a machine, clockwork an' lights, don't much matter if I die."

Kunsel licked his lips unsurely and looked to Cissnei who fidgeted with equal uncertainty on what to do.

"Cait, don't say that buddy because it's not true." He turned his sights onto the crimson woman. "He's a person, not a 'thing' or an 'it' and yes, I will kill you if you do anything. Now let him go."

"Mmmm Cait? It has a name. How adorable" Rosso crooned and the last thing Kunsel saw of Cait that made his grip on his raised sword slacken, was the genuine smile of sincerity on the captive felines face.

"Thanks bro."

"I despise adorable things!"

Tearing her hands apart in one violent movement the SOLDIER lurched as their companion was destroyed in front of his eyes, torn apart in a shower of mechanical pieces that dispersed outwards.

"CAIT!"

"UGH!"

A moment of disbelief hung in the air, a moment that after pivoting his head and catching the glint of moisture in Cissnei's wide hazel eyes, intensified and turned to rage. Wielding his claymore Kunsel ran at the three amused and laughing Tsviet's, laughs that embodied the sole reason why Cait Sith had spent his life believing himself worthless.

"YOU BIIIITCCH!"

He picked up speed across the rubble strewn hall of the mansion, his feet only stopping when the laughter ceased and a deep distant rumble from overhead reached his ears. It was a noise that was fast approaching and one his unenhanced lover, who was still loosely holding onto an unresisting Shelke, couldn't and wouldn't hear in time to move. Forced to abandon his desire for blood Kunsel turned heel and dashed back across the fifty yards at a sprint to throw himself and the two females to the ground. With a force equivalent to a meteor strike, the ground they had been stood at erupted, the brutal impact bringing down half the building and the noise of the blast shattering all windows that remained. With Cissnei and the child Tsviet sheltered beneath him Kunsel bit down while wall after wall of blazing heat drove into his back.

"Change for me Vincent. Become Chaos."

Daring to face the sudden roaring flames he witnessed the cloaked gunman being picked off of the floor and held up amidst a billowing firestorm by the throat, a figure barely recognisable as Genesis burning at the heart of it.

"If you will not change of your own free will, then I will make you change."

Seeing the auburn commanders focus shift darkly off towards his left side where Cissnei was now kneeling, the SOLDIER shoved her protectively back to the floor, turned his sword point down and channelled his focus into the materia junctioned hilt.

The jet of fire that gushed from Genesis' hand nearly knocked Kunsel clean off his knees, his body rattled by the raw power that collided into his conjured magic barrier mercilessly. In a lifetime of fighting since he was twelve he had never had to deal with power like this and it took all his strength to simply keep the spell aloft for long enough to stop them being consumed by the flames.

"Will you let her die Vincent? Little lost Rekka Valentine, the kin you never knew you had?"

The spell hit faster and more forceful the second time around, baring down stronger than dragons breath and only through hearing Cissnei's voice and shouting at himself for the spell not to fail did the barrier not shatter.

"I… can't… breathe…"

Suffering under the onslaught himself, the heaving second raised his sweat lined brow to level his gaze onto Vincent's through the fire, telling him he only had one more spell to protect her left in him. When Genesis' third strike came in it almost broke him immediately upon impact and had the gunman's pupils not glowed crimson at that point he may not have found the resolve to push beyond his means and hold out.

The torrent of fire cut off and a hurricane of wind took its place as the air was sucked towards the centre of the room. Vincent's transformation into the creature they met in the basement however didn't stop at just the eyes this time, his body began to change to. Blacks plates, ruby spikes and what appeared to be the beginnings of wings began to form over his body. As if today had not got crazy enough, the temperature in the room then instantly plummeted while a shadowy void opened above a victorious looking Genesis and a crack of deep violet electric ruptured out from the newly formed rift.

"Got you."

The charged ripples snaking like thunder buried themselves into the transforming gunman's chest and the demonic roar that followed could have been heard throughout the mountains and foothills of Nibelheim.

"I assume you have not forgotten about Nero."

On his hands and knees and totally spent, the delirious SOLDIER would have believed he was hallucinating had the woman at his side not shuddered when a bandaged man enshrouded in black mist with skeletal charcoal wings stepped through the midnight realm. He carried a rough purple stone that was generating the waves attaching themselves to Vincent and wrenching a swirling cerise sphere from the gunman's body. When the sizeable object that was neither solid, liquid or gas, but some other matter entirely of its own broke free, the room burst into an incoherent screeching noise that Kunsel would have covered his ears to if his hands weren't the only things keeping his face from hitting the floor.

"Chaos…"

Her voice barely rising above the harrowing noise of the malignant floating entity being drawn out of Vincent towards Genesis, Kunsel weakly turned to his partner who had risen to her feet.

"That can't be… no that can't happen!"

"Rekka?"

"What will happen if I do?"

"Rekka? Who are you talking to?"

"...? You don't hear it?"

"Hear? Hear what?" No response came from the slight woman and clearly listening intently she took two steps forwards away from him. "Rekka!? Hear what!?"

The firm demanding edge in his tone brought her diverted attention back on him which was a relief at first until she suddenly knelt down in front of the swordsman who could not have stood even if his life depended upon it.

"I'm beginning to lose count of the number of times you've saved me now."

Beautiful cream complexion and honey soft orbs levelling with his fallen gaze, the SOLDIER felt a cold sobering dread as Cissnei gazed into his face with a loving affection that had once been criminally foreign to her gentle features.

"It's about time I saved us for once."

"Why are you saying that? It's not a competition, don't say stuff like that!"

She smiled at that, the same kind of smile Cait had had and then she placed her lips to his in a light but drawn out kiss that felt too much like a farewell to be enjoyable.

"We're a team Kunsel, me and you, aren't we? We'll always be a team?"

With great effort the man from Kalm sacrificed one of his fragile supports to latch his hand onto Cissnei's wrist and struggled to adamantly hold on tight.

"Stop it!"

"Please… please don't, he can't be allowed to get Chaos."

She emotionally began prying his fingers off her and with his strength no more than that of a toddlers, she was able to do so.

"Rekka! Stop!"

"Please I have to. I don't know what will happen but if it comes to it, I want you to kill me."

Cissnei pulled away and the alarm of having her slip from his helpless fingers panicked him.

"Wait! WAIT!"

She sent him one final mixed bittersweet glance of adoration and regret, "you're the best thing that ever happened to me Kunsel", and then turned heel and ran into the electrified purple storm to throw herself in front of the moving sphere.

"REKKA!"

* * *

**Chapter 47 Part 2- Please don't**

Gazing silently down at the unconscious SOLDIER and leaning forward so she could see him clearer, Aerith refused to take her eyes of Zack who's breathing remained unsteady. Darkness had descended upon the tent with nightfall and her body had only finally ceased trembling within the last hour. After fighting the Jenova spawn and being restrained by Barret as she watched the temple collapse before her eyes, Aerith had experienced true fear for the first time and it was something she was unable to shake off. Believing Zack dead and later finding him barely alive at the bottom of a crater had been the most terrible moment of her relatively short existence.

The long uncertain hours that followed were no better. Four hours of using every desperate ounce of energy she had left healing Zack's dreadful injuries and four more waiting to see if he would pull through.

That was what she told herself anyway, the truth was she knew that he was going to make it long ago now and was stalling for time.

For herself.

Aerith reached out and brushed her fingers tenderly against Zack's cheek and along his fringe, engraving every detail of his handsome features onto her heart one last time. After five minutes of caressing the curves of her most beloved companions face, his irregular breathing settled into a powerful healthy rhythm at last and she should have been glad but… it signified the end of her excuse.

Water droplets pattered against her arm and Aerith pressed her free hand to her lips to stop the noise of her heavy crying from reaching any of the other tents. She didn't want to go, she wanted to stay with him and do all the things they dreamed of together.

She wanted to go to Banora with him and see Zack become the best teacher anyway could ever hope to have.

She wanted to dance with him at night and fight him for the bathroom every morning.

She wanted to be there when her mom scalded them both for all the times Aerith missed making her promised daily phone call home like she said she would.

She wanted to live out the heart-felt dreams of eighty-eight little letters and strike more bargains in exchange for the payment of dates.

She wanted to marry him in the rubble and spend her life by his side, that was all she ever wanted.

Broken by her tears Aerith laid forward and placed her curls against Zack's arm overcome with grief. The thought of hurting him or never seeing his smile again too painful to bear. Zack had endured so much, he deserved happiness and she desperately wanted to be the one to give it to him but Sephiroth had the black materia now and she had a duty as the last remaining Cetra that only she could fulfil. A duty her birth mother had entrusted to her, the reward; saving innocent lives, saving her friends and a scriptured promise of happiness.

The river flowing faster now, Aerith hugged the arm tight she dearly wished could hug her back.

It was more than anything she could ever hope to do, but without Zack the promised land could be paradise and it would still be nothing more than an empty place to her. Without him she would be half the piece of a puzzle once more, broken with a constant ache to be fixed… she would be alone again.

Knowing that she was falling apart more and more by the second, a voice in the weeping brunettes head told her she needed to leave now or she never would. With all her love Aerith united one final shaky kiss to her soul mates lips and brushed away the trickle of her own tears from his jawline while rising from her knees. She found the strength to straighten out her pink dress, throw on her red short sleeved jacket and take up her full metal-staff propped at the entrance. But not the strength to walk out without torturing herself with one last glance back.

"I love you Zack."

Ducking through the unzipped doorway the cool night air chilled against the flower girls burning hot eyes and cheeks. Tearily she marched a direct path towards the mound of supply packs that were piled up in the middle of the groups camp, her own modestly equipped bag being stashed at the bottom that she knelt down to claim.

"Are you alright friend?"

Aerith clenched her teeth, whimpering ever so slightly from the voice at her back and praying for strength she opened the pack to rummage through it. She had been prepared for this but as his ever-vigilent footsteps padded softly closer, she never imagined it would hurt this bad.

_Please… please don't make this harder Red._

"Of course you are not, that is a senseless question I apologize. I… I know as I am not a human, I may not be very suitable at offering comfort but…"

Aerith refused to turn, she had to find the jade sphere before her slowly drowning vision failed completely.

"I ask that you do not despair. If one thing travelling with all of you has taught me…"

Swamped emerald orbs found what they were searching for and Aerith channelled what little remained of her shattered composure into the crystalized mako.

"…is that together we can overcome anything… because we are friends."

The materia glowed to life, dazzlingly bright under the veil of night and with the deepest of sorrow she turned to Red with trembling hands. The painful part was it didn't matter that her accuracy was going to be terrible because she knew that with the trust they shared, he wouldn't even think to try and dodge.

"… A-Aerith?"

_SLEEP!_

The last thing she saw before she betrayed that trust, was Red's expression widening in delayed realisation of what she was doing. The status spell made hard contact in a flash of emerald light, knocking Red up onto his hind feet. His body went lax and toppling over he dropped to the floor at her feet, as did Aerith.

Falling at the first of many lonely obstacles that inevitably lay ahead of her, the girl from the slums landed on her knees and granted herself the comfort, a privilege Red had always given her, of linking her hands into his fur. Coarse cerise fur that had become proudly thicker and wilder since there first dramatic meeting in the Shinra labs, the way his fur was supposed to be.

Aerith smiled tearily as the long strands danced between her fingers, Yuffie always teased him that he was becoming scruffy.

_I'm sorry Red, please forgive me._

The last remaining Cetra bowed her head and then with the planets guidance, swung her backpack around her shoulders, grabbed the full-metal staff and took off into the darkness. It was her time to be strong now and though she never once looked back, she felt the moment the camp disappeared from sight behind the forest treeline.

_Goodbye everyone._

* * *

**Chapter 47 Part 3- Please don't**

The walls of the Shinra mansion were crumbling, the ceiling was all but completely gone and when Kunsel came to in the rumble strewn interior, the force of the supernatural detonation and Cissnei's terrible scream still echoed terribly through his brain.

_What had happened? Why had the Tsviet's not killed him?_

His answer came in the form of a low pur like rumbling and laboriously moving his head against the half burnt plank of wood that his face was crudely pressed to, his focusing vision came into stark view of long dagger-sharp black nails hanging in front of red leather plated thighs. Slender legs that were lined with obsidian spikes all the way up into wider hips moved with crisp high-heeled footsteps in a precariously close circle around him, once, twice, then began to fade across the hollow hall of the mansion.

Though being knocked out hardly counted as a decent respite, it had been enough for him to regain a modicum of his strength that he could stand. Using the claymore at his side as a prop to get up, Kunsel briefly caught the back end of what was leaving the mansion with a sauntering feminine grace. Black bat like wings with torn crimson webbing larger than any he had ever seen were tucked to a petite frame that was a very recognisable five-foot-two forever pretending to be five-foot-three.

The SOLDIER's legs tried to buckle under him but he didn't let them, not after letting her slip away once already.

Taking off clumsily towards the exit he stumbled from the cavernous gaping door out into the crisp mountainous air of Nibelheim and ran down the trio of cracked uneven porch steps with his weapon raised out straight.

"Give her back!"

Cissnei paused across the lawn with a dark satisfied hum and rotated around elegantly to give him full view of what she had become. Despair descended back into his life with a cruel swiftness, his world that had only just found a morsel of peace and happiness caving in around him.

_No.. this can't be._

Standing in full transformation her body was shaped intermittently from head to toe in lethal black and crimson demonic plates that were more a biological hide than an external armour. Her hair crystalized into a chilling headdress was still beautifully flame coloured and the large parts of her torso, chest and legs that weren't covered; a pastel grey skin that shimmered. Even the shade of her face carried the same deathly moonlight hue but even with that and the shocking ruby glowing eyes, she still looked in every way like Cissnei.

"Why would you raise that thing at me Kunsel?"

Being advanced upon he swallowed, it even sounded like her and it froze his limbs up solid as she came so close that the tip of his blade pushed against her abdomen. A pair of gauntleted hands came into contact with his chest and stroked upwards to delicately dig claw tipped fingers into his shoulders.

"Would you ever really hurt **me**?"

Rendered unable to respond two broad carmine wings splayed open and an unparalleled strength forced him off his feet across the yard, slamming his back to the mansion wall with freakish speed.

"I didn't think so."

Hellfire orbs surveyed him up and down within an intimately close proximity and Cissnei's tongue danced softly across familiar ashen lips as she moved closer, sliding her leg in between his provocatively.

"No you wouldn't, because you love me."

"You're not her" he grit back forcefully.

"Wrong, she willingly accepted me in, just like Vincent did. I am whatever she is, whatever she makes me."

As if to prove it, talons with the potential to be deadly swept and clenched at the sides of his hair in distinctly the same way that Cissnei had done in the heat of their one precious night together

"Soooo much doubt" she sang, possessive lust in her eyes, "… so much regret and fear. One thing is clear though..."

Hungrily biting the corner of her mouth Cissnei arched up towards his face and pressed the sharp gnarled plating over her breasts against him.

"... she likes you."

Ice-cold lips coerced their way inescapably onto his, followed passionately by Cissnei's tongue working knowingly into the one sided exchange.

"Mmmmmm it's been a long time since a human was this appealing to me, Vincent was always so bland in that respect. I think the three of us are going to get along **very** well together."

Shifting his head away sideways Kunsel avoided being kissed again and grabbed a hold of the wrists playing near his temples.

"There is no 'three of us', you're letting her go."

If such a thing were possible, a demonic giggle resonated in her throat.

"Handsome and commanding, I see what has Rekka so weak at the knees. Nnnnng you almost make **me** want to be submissive." A hand broke free from his grasp with great ease and wormed its way under his t-shirt, "Almost."

Energy surged through the claw caressing his body and an excruciating burning sensation rampaged through the pit of Kunsel's stomach, the kind not even a trained SOLDIER could endure without a cry of pain spilling out from his vocal cords.

"It hurts baby I know. But I want you to remember me while I'm gone."

He wanted to ask 'gone where?' but quite frankly at this point as his electrified innards spasmed and tears streamed from his eyes, he was ready to die. She already knew what he wanted to ask anyway.

"It's best you didn't know, I'm worried you won't be able to stay away. But don't fret lover, we'll be back, Rekka's made me far too fond of you to stay away."

Released from the torturous contact his legs really did give out this time and his head was pulled to nestle against Cissnei's waist line.

"And besides, it will give you time to think things over. You could have us both, naughty and nice, it's every man's dream."

The terrifyingly magnificent wings stretched out again and beat the air twice testingly, kicking up a lively gust of wind that Kunsel wrapped his arms tightly around her backside in response to.

"… no… gi... give… back…"

"Oooh please don't, you'll make me blush."

Snaking limberly out of his arms his second attempt today at holding onto the woman he had fallen for failed, leaving him watching on helplessly as she took off into the sky.

" _Save yourself for me._ "


	48. Force hands

* * *

**Chapter 48 Part 1- Force hands  
**

_Stuff has happened and I need your help, call me when you get this. I need to know I can trust you – J_

Jessie hit the send button on her PHS without hesitation this time, something that would have been unthinkable not too long ago.

_'Trust'_

It was a lot to ask for, too much most likely but she would take a leap of faith that at least Reno would tell her if wavering his loyalty to the company was out of the question. She hoped they shared enough misplaced affection for each other for that much at least.

The red-head engineer set her arm down beside her and let the device slip from her fingers to rest beside her muddied tech goggles on the floor, finding it hard to remain as optimistic as she wanted to be. SOLDIER, AVALANCHE, Shinra, Turks… they all seemed like such trivial things now that the planet sat at the precipice of being destroyed. In less than twenty-four hours the world as she knew it had changed. To a world that had a foreseeable ending. To a world where, as much as no one in the rest of the group would ever admit it, it was foolish not ask for help from the greatest people hunters around. To a world crazy enough that she would gladly ask for the help of the enemy to find a genocidal half-angel as well as a friend who had been kidnapped by the exact same people no less.

It made being a fugitive member of a group of underground rebels, crafting explosives designed to blow-up industrial reactors and hacking high security train carts seem like the simpler days.

Jessie stared despondently and somewhat hurt at Aerith's PHS sitting abandoned beside the open medical box on the other side of the tent.

_But why had she left them? Without telling anyone? Without telling her? And how was she supposed to tell…_

"... Jessie?"

_… him?_

Pulled out of her thoughtful stupor, the wash of relief to finally hear Zack's voice after nearly two whole days of no more than the occasional distressed mutterings was so profound it even took her by surprise.

"Heyyyyy Zack, how are you feeling?" Jessie spoke softly, attempting to keep her voice calm as not to freak him out from the start.

Stupidly her body language did not adopt the same gentle approach as she stood up and advanced much faster and far more eagerly then she probably should have. Zack recoiled away from her, an alarmed jerking movement that was likely to be dangerous in the physical condition he was in and the female engineer froze.

"Easy, easy. It's only me."

"No… no , no, no. You're dead. I watched you die!" the SOLDIER frenzied distressingly, his eyes wild and searching around.

He probably thought he was dead too. Yes... her being the first person he saw after being out of it for fourty-eight hours was a very bad idea.

"No it's me. Zack it's really me, I'm not dead" Jessie tried assuring him while perching herself on the edge of the single elevated camping bed to grip his forearm steadily.

It was her hope that the physical contact would help to convince him she was real but it didn't register with the disorientated man who simply stared owlishly at her stunned. She could understand that, his turbulent response, likewise she had barely gotten over the shock of seeing herself drenched in blood either.

"Y…you-you are! You died! This isn't real! You're over there now just like Cloud and it's my fault! I dragged you into this. I DRAGGED YOU ALL INTO THIS…"

"No Zack! Listen to me, this isn't some dream, I'm not dead! It was Jenova, she was pret…"

"I'm sorry Jessie! I'm sorry I couldn't protect you! I'm so so sorry, please!… PLEASE! Forgive me."

The nineteen year-old tomboy was now speechless. The grief and raw emotion in his husky plea and tear-pricked eyes was overwhelmingly endearing to see and hear. Knowing he cared for her this much spoke volumes of just how far they had come together from the strangers who met in a basement beneath the bar of a long-gone seventh heaven.

"I dragged you into this when we were destined to fail from the start Jessie" he continued with heart-breaking despair. "The reason Sephiroth's always been one step ahead of us, it's because he's seen all of this before. Everything that has happened has already happened, except me. I shouldn't be here, it should have been me who died up on those cliffs outside Midgar not Cloud!"

Jessie could hear every word he was saying but could not understand any of it. All she knew was she needed to figure out a way, where words were failing, to snap him out of the hysterical state he was in.

"The clues were there! They were always there but I couldn't figure it all out in time! Now because of me you're gone and I can't live with that! I can't do this anymore! Not when I failed you-!"

She didn't think before she did it. The red-head swung her free-hand and struck Zack's cheek with the open surface of her palm, not hard enough to truly harm him but hard enough to leave a numbed tingling sensation across her fingers.

Silent and slightly dumbfounded by the resonating slap, the raven-haired first blinked several times, his eyes stretched wide.

"Th-there…! Would I be able to do that if I was dead!?"

The next time Zack stared back at her it was as if he was seeing her for the first time and she knew the bold move had worked when he finally noticed the hand that was still grasping his arm.

"That's right, I'm alive and you haven't failed me. How could you think that!? You're the reason I'm still here in the first place! You intervened when Sephiroth tried to kill me in Red's village remember? You're the one who let me go with you when you went to meet Rufus remember? You're the reason I wasn't in sector seven with Biggs and Wedge the day they died. So don't ever talk about failing me, you… big idiot!"

Those choicely selected final words were what made the last ounce of clarity dawn on Zack's expression, coming to his senses that she was not just another one of his tormenting dreams or visions and the look from him that followed was enough to make any woman blush. It was tearfully affectionate, stronger than anything the un-girly slum girl raised by a single mother with an official boyfriend count of zero was used to receiving from the opposite sex.

"You're… really alive?" Zack's voice wavered, azure glowing orbs welling up with such pure sincerity.

"Yep… still here" she whispered back with a small half-cocked smile deployed to conceal her pale brown ones that were starting to do the same.

His pained and weary face contorted dramatically and the only glimpse she saw of Zack crying was in the split second between him realizing she wasn't dead and being pulled into his arms. Advancing forward at the same time the dear swordsman linked onto her frail-in-comparison form, buried his face to her shoulder and clung to her tightly with such vigour that Jessie was now the one blinking mutely. His back and shoulders started shuddering, the metal pauldon on her right shoulder was digging in uncomfortably and the strength of his grip was slightly crushing but that was what made it so special. He then uttered some sobbed words that were completely incomprehensible into the nylon fabric of her navy crop-top but that didn't matter either, she understood the sentiment behind it and that was enough. Placing her arms around him Jessie returned the connection and set the side of her head against the blaze of black spikes under her chin, finding herself getting choked up by his outpour.

"Oh Zack…"

It was simply impossible for anyone not to be effected by such an emotionally charged moment. And while she was aware it wasn't all for her, that a lot of what was coming to the surface now was for a great many other things Zack had unfairly endured over many dark years, there would always be that small treasured part that was for her. Closing her eyes a small content smile formed on her lips, it felt cruel yet pleasant knowing this is how someone would react if she died. That someone would grieve.

Suddenly all of the fighting and risking her life didn't seem so bad anymore.

Jessie patiently let Zack's long overdue release play out with no intention of interrupting it early, in spite of the dire situation they were in, he needed this. When the silent hitching eventually stopped the late teenager delicately snuck a hand away into the back of her hair, freed the loosely tied bandana sectioning off her fringe and guided his arm from around her by the elbow to slip the crimson strip into his hand. Jessie didn't move from the embrace as he dried his eyes, she knew enough about male pride to know how important that was.

When he was ready Zack pulled away, doing that thing he always did when he was embarrassed and scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.

"… don't Zack."

He nodded, exhaled slowly and after a short quiet time smiled genuinely at her.

"So… big idiot huh?"

Jessie grinned.

"I take that one back… but only because I meant to say big clumsy idiot."

"Eh, some bedside comfort you are."

On the journey over from Costa Del Sol they once joked that they would still laugh together even if the world was coming to an end. Who ever knew it would be so literal?

"Pfff, I'll be happy to swap with Barret or Cid if I'm not good enough for you."

"On second thoughts you'll do" Zack quipped, something she was so delighted to see in him once more, even for the inevitably short amount of time it would last. "So, bet I look pretty terrible right?"

"Surprisingly not that bad, for a guy dressed up like the world's worst mummy" she chuckled, indicating to the good three quarters of his torso covered in nothing but wrapped linen bandages.

"Ha! I don't think Aerith's going to be too happy when she finds out you said that about her work."

_A very short amount of time indeed._

Luckily he didn't notice Jessie tense. Nor did he pick up on the inner struggle that ensued within her as she battled with the dilemma of what to say. Though she would have liked to, the idea of not telling him straight away about Aerith was unthinkable. If something were to happen, Zack would not forgive her.

A sinking feeling seeped unpleasantly into Jessie's stomach and suddenly she was no longer glad to have been the one who had been watching over him when he came to.

"Actually… those are the new dressings Tifa did…"

Knowing her face didn't need to support what her voice had already betrayed, Jessie looked away and picked uneasily at the edge of the bed-mat roll. In her periphery she noticed Zack's semblance quickly harden and his focus set firmly upon her.

"Tifa?"

"… y-yeah. We uh… thought it might be a bit weird at first to but Cid made such a mess of it, B just stabbed you with the pin a load and… well obviously Red couldn't do it" she replied lamely, though she knew it wasn't what Zack was asking.

"Jessie. Where is Aerith?" he knuckled down his question, leaving her little room this time to chicken out of telling him.

"... Zack you've been out for two days. We couldn't move you and we didn't know where to go!" her voice elevated when he started moving. "We've been setting out in random directions to search the area for hours! Cid even took the Highwind out three times to patrol…"

"No! No just tell me where she is… Aerith! AERITH!" the SOLDIER yelled out towards the entrance of the tent, expecting her to walk in.

"Ok! Ok!" Jessie conceded frantically, spreading her hands out to try and block his path. "But you can't get up! You're not well enough!"

Just as she had feared her words were futile, he knew now and she was unable to stop him from throwing back the sheets and getting to his feet.

"Stop! Just wait a minute! You're going to hurt yourself… look!"

She tried pointing to the front of her friends wounded chest where the white bindings were already beginning to turn to a pale shade of pink but he had already forced his way passed her and was heading for the door.

"How long has she been gone!?"

"If you just wait a second I'll tell you!"

"There's no time! He's kidnapped her! We've got to find her! NOW!"

"HE HASN'T KIDNAPPED HER!" Jessie crowed, desperate to make him stop and was briefly relieved when her words succeeded where trying to physically restrain him was greatly failing.

"… what?"

"Sephiroth, he hasn't kidnapped her. Aerith she… left of her own choosing."

"… she?... ho-?… she wouldn't! How do you know that!?"

"Because most of her things were gone… right after she attacked Red with a sleep spell."

Jessie could see before he tried to hide it that he believed what she was saying and that it hurt, a lot.

"Look Zack, I'm sure that Aerith had her reasons…"

"He was right" Zack's shell-shocked mumble cut through her unfounded words of comfort. "He said she would go to him time and time again and he was right."

The despair woven into his voice became one of bitter sadness, then took an exceptionally quick jump to something that was comparable to anger.

"… she… must know…" he muttered disbelievingly, his body starting to tremble as some dark realisation hit him. "She knows. She's always known. That's why she said the things she said in the gondola that night and then again before we found the temple. She knows what's going happen to her… and she's going anyway!"

Possessed by a fresh jumpstart of volatile emotions Jessie was helpless to stop Zack limping hurriedly from the tent, she simply wasn't strong enough.

"Zack wait! Let's talk about this! What do you mean Aerith knows!? Knows what!?"

"She's giving up on us! On me! Everything we've been fighting for! We were supposed to overcome anything together!"

Storming through the smoke of last night's campfire that was still gently smouldering, Zack was making a wounded bee-line straight for the forest treeline. It was close to mid-morning, the cooler point of the day where monsters would be most active except of course at night, the time the flower-girl happened to leave.

Gaia this was such a mess.

"Zack you can't go out there like this! You're going to get yourself killed!"

She was panicking, if he didn't stop she was going to be forced to use the electro-mag rod to stun him. Fortunately it didn't come to that and she was beyond relieved to see Cid chilling on the stump of a tree they'd felled near the outskirts of camp, critical eyes pouring over a spread of navigational maps.

"Cid! Cid over here! Help me stop him!"

The Captain who was momentarily shocked to see the staggering SOLDIER on his feet, dropped his charts to intervene.

"Aw'right there skipper. Le's take it easy now" the man tuned warningly, stepping into Zack's oncoming path and discarding a leafy pick from his mouth when he didn't show signs of stopping from advancing straight forward. "Guess we're doing this the 'ard way eh?"

"Zack don't!"

The pair met head on and the second Cid was in his way Zack tried forcing him aside but the blonde pilot was not so easily removed and roughly manoeuvred himself to latch onto the ex-SOLDIER's bare arms. Their wounded leader reacted negatively to the locked hold on his limbs preventing him from continuing and his temperament went straight from eighty to one-hundred.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Zack's training sloppily came into automatic effect and succeeded in breaking Cid's hold only to be placed straight back into another by the Rocket town aviator who had been in more than his fair share of tussles and brawls.

"No. Can. Do. Sweet an' innocence ain't gone be too pleased if I let'cha dumbass get ya'self killed!"

Jessie watched on as angry shouts and swift series of struggling grapples became increasingly more violent, gasping when it peaked and a punch was thrown knocking them apart.

"ZACK!"

"Heh… ya' gonna hit a guy, do it like ya' mean it!"

A second punch was thrown right back with a crisp smack making Jessie yelp even louder.

"CID!"

All hell broke loose after that as skilful breaks and holds descended into a wild wrestling match that soon hit the deck when Cid kicked their out-of-control friends legs out from under him. The nineteen year-old whimpered at the anarchy. With both men seeking to overpower the other and Zack's bandages staining more and more red, it was hard to know whether Cid was doing more harm than good here.

Luckily the airship Captain gained dominance and managed to pin a greatly weakened Zack to the floor with an ungracious elbow locked to his throat making him growl furiously.

"ARRGGGGHHH!"

"ZACK STOP! PLEASE JUST STOP!"

"Give it up kid. Ain't doin' no one any good here."

"GET OFF ME!"

"No can…"

"SHE'S GOING TO DIE!" he roared , making the frightened engineer unknowingly holding her electro-mag shudder.

"Zack... I know it's dangerous out there but she's strong, she'll…"

"NO DAMN IT! AERITH IS **GOING** TO DIE! AT THE CITY OF THE ANCIENTS! SHE'S GOING THERE TO SACRIFICE HERSELF! TO GIVE HER OWN LIFE TO STOP METEOR!"

Zack's terrible words came down like a heavy ominous bell toll, her breath hitched and speechlessly Jessie shrunk away with her hand pressed to her parted mouth. She swapped matching mortified stares with Cid who she had hoped would give her some sort of indication that she had heard wrong, not wanting to believe it. None came from him and bit by bit the grave faced captain relinquished his hold on Zack.

"… then ya' best go put a fuckin' shirt on."

* * *

**Chapter 48 Part 2** **\- Force hands**

Shirt raised Kunsel cast another cure into the lower section of his stomach and bit back the sharp annoyance as for the third time the curative magic only managed to give a brief moment of warm relief before receding back to pain.

Chaos had meant it when she said she didn't want him to forget her.

Yanking his top back down with a hiss Kunsel pushed off from the large concrete boulder, a broken chunk of the Shinra mansion wall he was leaning against covered in a ruined florid tapestry.

It didn't matter, all that mattered was that he needed to get going.

Claymore sheathed, half emptied pack strung he set off through the ruins. He would be travelling light. Along the way his sights traced over the destruction around him one last time. It was a joyless and macabre scene and yet a relief, a relief that this would be the last nightmare this place would ever give birth to. It was in those morbid final steps that his mixed-up duel-tainted eyes fell solemnly upon a damaged piece of mechanical clockwork buried and coated in layers of black ash. He stared at it for some time before kneeling down to claim it with a charred and shredded glove, placing the piece safely into his bag.

_Wires, gears, nuts and bolts that had once been so much more…_

"North is the best choice."

Kunsel's stare flicked up at the cloaked gunman standing with his arms folded in the broken mansion doorway and the hostile urge to attack the man rose up then receded like a wave. It would be too easy to blame Vincent Valentine for everything and not his own weakness to protect the woman he loved.

Saying nothing instead the SOLDIER stood up and set off for the exit passed him.

"She won't be able to control it."

"And what's it to you!?" he snapped, backtracking a step and finding both his hands snatch the front of the ex-Turks outfit. "Going to decide she's important enough to be given a shit about all of a sudden are we!?"

Vincent didn't react to his words or to being manhandled, he just stood there unphased, silent and staring. Kunsel let the observing man go with a slight shove, he knew when he was being analysed.

"There are many important things going on right now" Vincent cooly remarked. "Keeping Chaos controlled is one of them."

"You know that wasn't what I meant."

"..."

"Yeah I thought you'd say that. Well she's important to me and I'm going to find her" Kunsel dismissed making for the exit.

"I can help."

"You've done enough damage."

"She'll do more."

The SOLDIER paused and clenched his fist.

_Did this guy always need to be so damn blunt?_

"If you managed to control it then so can she."

"With three decades of practice and the aid of the protomateria I could contain it. She has neither."

"She's tough, she'll find a way!" he spat angrily before conceding that his battling with the only person who could help him now was out of nothing more than pig-headed pride.

Kunsel sighed heavily, "… so what do we do?"

"Hard to say. If things are as they were, Aerith is venturing to the city now. Jenova hasn't infected the lifestream with Geostigma yet. Sephiroth's true form resides in the northern crater. Hojo, Deepground, the reunion, Shinra, they're all back. And now Chaos has a new host that it controls fully. There are too many possibilities. Our next move might just be the one that decides the fate of the planet."

_Infected the lifestream with Geostigma? Sephiroth's true form in the northern crater?_

Just like Vincent's possibilities, the number of questions Kunsel had for this strange paradox of a man were too many but this was not the time. He would have plenty of time to ask them along the way, for now he wanted to be moving. Moving anywhere. Anywhere that wasn't here.

"And what about you? What's your next move?"

Walking in from the direction of the upstairs bedroom that led to the underground library, Volk looked up at him though didn't seem to hear him as his face remained vacant. But not the 'intentionally disguising his emotions' kind of vacant, there was something genuine in his blankness. It gave Kunsel the impression that the Turk's mind was preoccupied, troubled even and the record tape being slipped neatly into the inside pocket of the Wutain's suit jacket didn't succeed in evading his attention.

"What you got there?"

Sapphire orbs narrowed defensively which Kunsel waved a hand at.

"Whatever, I'm not interested. I know you've got your own motives and I don't care what they are as long as they don't get in my way. Tseng sent you to keep an eye on us so that's a mission you've still got to do right?"

It was very easy to miss the barely detectable nod.

"Then we may as well cut the hiding in the shadows crap and travel together, the monsters north of here are only going to get tougher."

He didn't wait for an answer, the agent probably wouldn't give one away.

Kunsel left the skeletal shell of the mansion at a brisk pace with Vincent filing in beside him.

"Understand that Rekka is my priority, but so are my friends. If you say Aerith is in some sort of trouble then I need to do something about it. I owe that girl my life."

"Mm. I can be sure of nothing until I have spoken with someone."

"… are you just waiting for me to say who?"

"A man named Cloud. A friend of mine and depending on how much things have changed, a friend of this Zack Fair of yours."

The rhythm of Kunsel's even stride faltered, "Cloud? As in Cloud Strife? He's dead."

They had only made it halfway up the sloping valley that lead into the mountains before they were stopping again, Vincent's garish golden claw seizing his forearm.

"He died months ago saving Zack's life from an ambush by SOLDIER" he elaborated to the gunman who's current severe appearance and burning glare would be enough to give a child nightmares for years.

Vincent opened his mouth to speak but the younger icier sounding voice of Volk cut in loudly over the constant chilling wind that swept through Nibelheim, the katana expert climbing the hill to join them.

"WHO'S YUFFIE KISARAGI?"

Kunsel frowned, Vincent tensed and as a three-way of stares were exchanged between them, Kunsel had to ask himself how he had got here? How he had gone from happily being with Cissnei and Cait Sith to these two people? And how much more surreal any of it would have to get before he became utterly convinced he was either sleeping or simply insane.

"I think it's time the three of us had a good long chat."

* * *

**Chapter 38 Part 3** **\- Force hands**

Crouched on her haunches between two thorn covered bushes, a frown furrowed across the pale blonde woman's brow as she tucked back her side fringe from her slightly perspiring face, still stubbornly refusing to tie it back completely.

The target had been sat there on the cliff edge for near on five minutes staring at a very expensive looking bracer she had removed from her wrist. It was hard to tell from her current obscure position but the girl appeared emotional and on more than one occasion Elena wondered if she was going to jump. Her brain naturally weighed up the pros and cons of the target doing so and on a couple of other more dark and twisted occasions when the pros seems to win, pushing her off even crossed the young Turks mind.

Elena couldn't help it, it was simply how her mind had always worked, even when she was a child. In that respect she was just as messed up in the head as Reno.

Besides, it wouldn't be the first time she'd stepped over a person to get what she wanted.

The Turks newest recruit shook her head. No, Tseng had entrusted her to deliver the precious little flower girl safely and after the incident in Midgar being unable to assassinate either of the Shinra executives, failing another mission was categorically out of the question.

Another long and arduous minute passed as she remained hidden in the undergrowth like a damned Cappawire. Though the suits, the guns and the air of professionalism and secrecy gave the impression of it, Turk life was far from glamorous. Not that she could complain too much, she had been incredibly fortunate so far this mission. It seemed AVALANCHE still didn't know their airship was bugged with two of the GPS trackers that the military had installed and while rendezvousing to the Highwind she had come across the lone Cetra girl totally by chance nearly fifteen miles out. No sign of her companions anywhere, no extraction required, it was all going too perfectly. If anything it was getting a bit boring.

Elena tapped her fingers on the inside of her thighs impatiently, she was tempted to try making some kind of decoy noise to alert the target and get her moving again. The need to do so however came and went when the engraved wrist piece that was being fondly coddled by the girl intentionally slipped from her hands and took the long drop into the continued expanse of forests far below.

She thought that would be the cue for the target to continue her mysterious solitary trek north but instead Aerith stood there, stupidly watching after the long gone accessory as if she wanted it back. Elena groaned with exasperation, an aggravated moan she quickly stifled when a thin hiss kicked her instincts into gear and the agent dropped low on all fours, her chest touching the floor in a poised push-up position. The hissing drew closer and the dense cluster of thistles off to her left parted. Through it came a prowling monster, a three meter long vermillion reptile moving stealthily on all fours with its ravenous sights set on the clearing ahead and in turn the Cetra girl who was on wide-open display.

Responding immediately Elena by-passed the gun in her jacket, slid the material of her trouser discreetly up her leg and took out the four inch knife strapped to her left ankle. The blonde martial artist exhaled steadily to even out the adrenaline rush and waited until the scaled creature was identically alongside her before pushing off from her position and flipping onto its back. With five elite emblems under her belt her prey was hardly able to make a noise before she got her arm clamped around its jaw and her feet wrapped around its tail to prevent her from being thrown off. Locked on tight Elena guided the knife firmly into the creatures neck, wincing when it bucked under her body giving the tender injuries in her torso and shoulder a good reason to remind her that she was still far from being in peak condition. Blood poured, muffled shrieking died down and when the monsters power had gushed out through its neck fully, she rolled off nimbly, scouting the surrounding area urgent and alert.

_That was an Under-Lizard. Under-Lizards hunted in…_

Elena cursed to see Aerith standing with her body backed up to the cliff edge, surrounded by four sets of deadly jaws.

_… packs._

"Shit."

Dashing to the edge of the treeline she got as close as she could without being seen and stopped, watching on as the target raised her staff at the encroaching predators. The first bolt of lightning the girl summoned struck the nearest of the monsters with a brutal crack and a good deal of screeching. The wailing beast however recovered once the shocks had died down, continued its advance along with its companions and it took a second spell, ice this time, to finish the monster. Realizing each creature would be taking two spells to fall, Aerith hastily threw out a slow on the approaching monsters that would soon be within striking distance. She soon reverted back to elemental spells in a panic when the status spell proved ineffective.

A second Under-Lizard fell after much resistance and vengeful for its fallen comrade an angry set of jaws made a narrow snapping attempt on the wide-eyed girl who was forced to jump back even closer to the perilous drop at her heels.

She was losing this.

Bloodied knife was discarded for compact gun but still Elena waited, deeply reluctant to give away her presence. Since following the Ancient she had left the girl to fight on a number of occasions against mobs that the Turk had been unable to stealthily despatch for her. She needed the girl alive and while the target was competent, in this situation she was out of her depths.

One last desperate spell was fired off by the cornered brunette before the two remaining carnivores pounced. It was either by skill or luck when she swung her staff like a polearm that she caught one of them across the skull with perfecting timing and a loud metal twang. The other had its opening though, managed to get its teeth around her bicep and with a maw that powerful there was a strong chance the girls arm would have been mauled if Elena hadn't have already abandoned her hiding place. Five short bangs overpowered the flowers girls brief yelp of pain and five accurate bullets drove into the back of the Under-Lizards thick skull before any serious damage could be done.

The beast collapsed to the floor dead and with its demise, standing on the brink of a precipice surrounded by carcasses, narrowed hard brown orbs met stretched trembling green across the fifteen or so meters of distance that separated them. Both women stared at one another mutely though the Turk showed no hesitation, she knew this situation was bound to have occurred sooner or later.

It happened simultaneously, the moment Elena turned her gun on Aerith and Aerith raised her staff on her.


	49. Buried attachments

**Chapter 49 Part 1- Buried attachments**

"Careful" Elena warned indifferently as the target's retreating brown boot met open air, blades of dry mossy grass being scuffed away from the cliff edge followed by a gasp from the unbalanced flower girl.

She took another menacing step forward and the cornered deer squeezed her staff tighter, holding it further outright in a solid yet unnerved combat ready position.

"I… I-I will fight you!"

She held position, the girls fraught voice and one of the materia slotted in the rod glowing telling Elena the Cetra was not bluffing. It was surprising, perhaps Aerith Gainsborough had grown more of a backbone then she had anticipated or the targets on file character report would have lead one to believe. Less she risk being placed in a situation where she would have to shoot the girl and drag her wounded lump through the forest, this would require a more tactful approach.

"You know the last person that pointed a weapon at me I made them shoot themselves in the face with their own gun right? I could kill you before you even thought about casting a spell and I wouldn't need this gun to do it."

Aerith's expression alarmed but her stance remained unwavering. It seemed verbally intimidating the girl into compliance wasn't going to work either.

"Mmmaybe you c-could but… I have to try! They rely on me, I'm not going to let you take me!"

"To do what? Who relies on you?" the blonde interrogated, watching Aerith's footing continue to wobble precariously.

"Everyone! Everything! Please Elena you have to let me continue! Pretend you never saw me, no one would ever have to know! You don't know how important this is!"

She almost laughed at the pink clad brunettes utterly ridiculous suggestion, the girl had clearly spent far too much time around that fake hack of an agent Cissnei to know a real Turk.

Face stern Elena kept her gun pointed straight. She was a real Turk.

"Continue where?"

Curls shook vigorously.

"I can't tell you."

"If you're not going to take me seriously, I promise torturing the information out of you won't be a problem for me!"

Wild emerald eyes reacted to her bark both distressed and oddly resolute at the same time.

"I do! I do take you seriously but... you wouldn't. I know you wouldn't. Tseng wouldn't allow you to hurt me."

Like a cat arching its back Elena felt her inner hostility flare up at seeing those pretty girl lips speaking the bosses name to use it against her. Undermining her. Taunting her with their precious fond history.

The trigger seemed so much more appealing now.

"Oh really!? And who said Tseng would ever have to know if I shot you in that stupi-"

A lance of thunder shot rapidly down from above, sudden and so out of the blue that Elena was just about able to jump away from the bulk of its path with only her arm catching a portion of the potent spell. The familiar burning and spassaming sensation of electrifying magic seized the Turks forearm which she clutched tight against her body with what little space remained in her gun-hand.

"You… hit me!" Elena hissed, wide-eyed and more distraught at the large charred burn hole to her ruined suit than the scorched and blackened wound that was throbbing beneath.

"I'm sorry!" Aerith yipped, aghast at what she had done. "I'm really sorry! You were being mean! I'm sorry!"

The older girl tried approaching, coming over to help which Elena abruptly repositioned her gun in response to.

"NO! Back of!"

"But… but your hurt."

Elena blinked at the girl in disbelief through eyes that were watering from the intense sting.

"Hurt? HURT!?" she exploded angrily, unable to keep her composure any longer, often her greatest weakness as a Turk. "God I want to shoot you so fucking bad! Why do you do that!? Why are you apologising!? Why do you have to be such a righteous acting little fucking princess!? Don't say sorry, I'M the one pointing a gun at YOU! Act like a normal person damn it!"

Only a few feet away now, Aerith lowered her face sadly and spoke at a whisper.

"I'm…"

She paused, fortunately restraining herself from saying sorry again at the last minute to sigh wretchedly at her boots instead. A long drawn out silence ensued which the Turk took as an opportunity to cast her eyes from the pointed path of her gun to her injured arm that was beginning to hurt like crazy now. The target meanwhile was fidgeting in thought, clearly trying to come up with a plan and when Aerith raised her head Elena narrowed her gaze venomously.

"Come with me."

Venomous became suspicious.

"I… have to get somewhere, I can't tell you where it is but it's no more than a day or two from here… I think. If you let me go there first, I promise that afterwards I will go with you, I won't fight or force you to drag me back. After I've done what I need to do, I'll go back quietly with you to Tseng and you can both hand me into Shinra."

_And you can have a chance to try and sneak away from me._

_A_ thin smile crossed Elena's face.

"Think about it, I know you don't like me Elena but this way work out easier and much faster for both of us."

Once upon a time, back in the mithril mines, Elena had strongly protested to the boss about negotiating with terrorists so it was almost her immediate instinct to throw the woman's proposition right back in her face. Tseng however had also told her to think more before she spoke so in doing just that, the female agent weighed up her options diplomatically.

_Agree and continue along under the false pretence she would let the target see this unknown place she was so desperate to get to. Occasionally crushing any entertaining escape attempts the woman would try to make along the way._

_Or_

_Refuse and drag Aerith kicking, screaming or unconscious the entire way to an extraction point they were already heading towards where Tseng would be arriving with a helicopter._

While the second certainly had a twisted appeal to it, in reality there wasn't really much of a choice here to be made.

Elena turned the barrel of her gun skyward curtly and stepped from the flowers girls path who's shoulders sagged with relief.

"After you."

* * *

**Chapter 49 Part 2- Buried attachments**

"So wait, let me get this straight. You're saying Cloud, who Zack was ferrying to the infirmary every other week during basic cadet training, your telling me that same Cloud managed to beat 'him' AGAIN?"

"Yes."

Kunsel massaged his temple, frowning sidelong across the glow of the campfire at Vincent staring into the flames.

"Sephiroth? 'Thee' Sephiroth? Green eyes, silver hair Se-"

"Yes."

The SOLDIER took that in for a moment then blew out his cheeks in one long exhale. It certainly was one hell of a tale, impossible to believe and deeply disturbing, especially with talk of Aerith being murdered.

"Well if what you say is true and Sephiroth was beaten by Cloud again, that these remnants you speak of were destroyed and this 'Geostigma' was cured with some holy water, how did everything still turn out so bad? You said the world as you last knew it had fallen to ruins."

There was a long pause on Vincent's behalf.

"I can't say for sure. Back then my theory was that Jenova had bound itself to the lifestream, infected it from within so to speak so her only way to be truly defeated would be to destroy the planet itself. A catch twenty-two you might say. What I do know is two years after we believed it cured, Geostigma returned, different, stronger. Back then it was only due to Rufus Shinra that the entire population wasn't wiped out."

"Hold. You're telling me Rufus saved the world?"

"Slowed its demise would be more fitting a term but yes."

"Now that's some irony right there." Kunsel blasted out a short laugh.

Leaning back on his hands against hard mountain rock he looked up at the night sky that had thankfully cleared of the rainclouds that had haunted them for the entire day.

"Well Vincent, your either crazy or the most elaborate storyteller I have ever met."

"Or he's telling the truth."

Sapphire eyes opening, katana laid nearly in front of his folded legs, Volk spoke up from his respective place in the spacious triangle they had formed around the camp fire.

"Yeah… then there's that."

"One thing remains unclear however."

"Oh really? ONE thing" Kunsel remarked sarcastically.

"If these things have truly already come to pass" the Wutain swordsman continued, "How is it that you and Genesis alone remember them?"

He nodded his head in support of the Turk's question. Vincent stood up, re-holstering a freshly reassembled tri-barrelled revolver at his side.

"Yeah, you're not gonna tell us you were sent back from the future to save us all are you?"

"Again, hard to say. I could only speculate."

"Speculate away" Volk challenged evenly from his meditative position.

"Very well. Demons and their hosts battle for greater control but ultimately share one mind" the cloaked gunman replied without hesitation. "Chaos and its kind are not of this world, they exist outside the boundaries of time. It would only make sense that they and their hosts would remain unaffected by change."

"I see."

Kunsel raised an eyebrow at the ice magic proficient agent so readily able to accept Vincent's words.

"Easy as that huh?"

Volk shrugged.

"Well whatever the reason, it doesn't matter" Kunsel heaved. "We know what's coming now and this is our chance to get ahead of the game. We'll be meeting Zack and the Highwind in eight hours. That gives us a couple hours rest and then it's a six hour run to reach the nearest pickup point that's on their route. Can everyone handle that?"

Vincent simply nodded then took off. "I'm sweeping the area."

"Fine by me" Volk concluded, shifting around to lay himself out.

Before doing the same, Kunsel quietly considered the strangely enhanced katana expert. They indeed had only a miniscule number of hours to re-coup some necessary strength so he almost decided to remain quiet about the subject that was bothering him.

"Why did you ask about her?"

Eyes remaining shut, laying with one hand on his sword, there was an unmistakable tensing in the agents body.

"You found something in that basement, something to do with that tape. Does it have something to do with her, with Yuffie?"

"I thought we agreed to stay out of each other's business?"

"Yuffie's a part of the family, someone I have come to hold as a friend. That makes it my business."

When nothing but the hum and cracks of the fire met him, Kunsel shook his head and laid down.

"Whatever, just know that if you hurt her, besides me and Zack, there will be a certain someone far scarier you will have to answer to and she packs one hell of a punch."

The SOLDIER settled down as comfortable as possible, which against cold, uneven, unrelenting stone was not comfortable at all. It was cruelly amusing really. To think the last time he had slept it was under a captivatingly beautiful woman, her cheek resting in this spot right here between his chest, warm and soft, the unrivalled sensation of her bare back gliding beneath his fingertips.

A lump formed in his throat.

"I do not know why I asked about Yuffie Kisarugi. I do not know who she is personally or why her name means something to me. But I know it is important… and that I am ready to remember again."

Kunsel opened his eyes onto the cold endless expanse of stars above. He was surprised to hear the man speak again, more so with words that resembled something of an honest answer. He stayed silent for some time, a day with Volk had taught him many things about the man and he had drawn a number of conclusions. That he believed the Wutain had no memories before Hojo gave him enhancement's and Tseng pulled him into the Turks was one of them. That he believed he had found another one of the test subjects that had been imprisoned in the Shinra mansion like Zack, Cloud, Elfe and Vincent were, was another.

"Maybe you forgot for a reason" Kunsel replied out to the heavens. "Ever heard that some things are just better left forgotten?"

Volk's silence was longer, far longer.

"Yes… I have heard that."

* * *

**Chapter 49 Part 3- Buried attachments**

"We can discuss this! Call R-Rufus! He would not allow this, I've known him and his father since he was a boy! Gyaahhh! WAIT! It was all Scarlett! He knows I wouldn't take part in that witches plan freely! I WAS FORCED!"

Caramel bangs whipping in the wind Clarissa threw him an amused half smile, the sound of the horse-man's continuous whiny pleas behind her thankfully being dissipated by the fierce Midgarian wind.

Legend smiled roguishly back at her, knowing this was one they would both enjoy but courteously he allowed her to be the one who placed her signature upon it. The younger, tall, athletically built Turk in his early twenties tossed her the double-chambered monstrosity from the back of the chopper and after she had snatched it from the air a hushed purr vibrated in the back of her throat. The feeling of the silver beauty in her arms pleasurably intoxicating.

There was a reason they called her Shotgun.

It was the weight, the punchy spine-tingling recoil, the feeling of raw power in her hands that sent her mind adrift to a different bloodthirsty place. She loved it, craved it sometimes, loved everything that Clarissa the twenty-five year old shopaholic from Junon would hate.

Clarissa hated many things about Shotgun.

"Gyaaahhh! Y-y-you're crazy!"

The hideous dark-green suited man had seen the mirth in her eyes as her hand caressed the long silver pipes which she proceeded to point straight at him. Heideggar made that annoying horse like screeching noise again and backed away closer towards the rooftop edge of the Shinra building that was ablaze at night with the landing pad lights of a failed getaway.

"No! No no no wait! Gyaaahhh you insolent shits! What do you want! Money? MONEY! I'll m-m-m-make you rich, both of you rich!"

Shotgun raised an eyebrow, amused how even a tough, hard-nosed, military brute like Heideggar could be reduced to a snivelling wretch. That was the power Shotgun gave her, the power she craved.

"Rich you say? Hey Legend, he says he can make us rich."

"Mmmm, that's original."

"If I had a gil for every time someone told me they would make me rich, well I would be rich" she giggled darkly, enjoying toying with her victim far too much. "You see the problem with being rich is, money isn't much good to you when you've nowhere to spend it or you're dead."

"GYYAAAHHH!"

"That's right. Woulda thought you could figure that one out yourself, considering where your standing" Legend casually called over her shoulder to the wild-eyed, overweight, black-bearded executive. "You screw the Turks, don't matter who you are or where you run, you get found. No mission too big for the Turks."

"No mission too big for the Turks" Shotgun parroted with a smirk as the army general began to sob. "Which reminds me, aren't you responsible for one of our own being shot? I heard you even put one of those bullets in Elena personally."

"Mmm I heard that to" the other male agent enforced, a feint vicious growl in his voice.

"Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-she… SHE TRIED TO KILL ME FIRST!"

"That's not an answer."

She pumped the gun and trained it square on the generals round mid-section.

"WAIT!... OK YES! YES I SH-"

An explosive round of twin-shells tore with satisfying ferocity from her guilty pleasure, sending the top of the Shinra building up in one loud echoing bang. The targets body was gone instantly in a wide spray of crimson, the red curtain taking gruesome flight into the wind and the three-thousand foot drop that stood below. The reverberating kick, the vain attempt bite to her shoulder, it was like liquid adrenaline for the female Turk. A high she would enjoy until the nauseous sensation set in later when recalling this same moment would make Clarissa feel sickened by herself.

_Mission number thirty-three: Complete._

Tucking a billowing section of caramel locks behind her ear, Clarissa turned away from the open-sky, back towards the helicopter with her fellow agent watching her with arms lightly folded.

"Dramatic."

"Get in, I'm driving."

"You're driving? Why are you driving?" he scoffed.

"Because your even worse than the boss."

"Hey! Tseng is way worse! There's no way my flying skills are that bad."

"Legend" Clarissa replied frankly, tossing her shotgun into the back of the helicopter, "you're fucking useless."

She made to pass the boisterous male agent with your typical confident 'male jock' type of attitude but suddenly her wrist was tightly grabbed before she could make it to the driver side door. The more trained and experienced Turk looked down at her arm.

"I'm fucking useless am I? Are you sure about that?"

It happened so quickly after that. Clarissa was pulled around by both wrists, her body slammed up against the side of the helicopter and strong eager lips linked there way over hers energetically. Just like last night and the other two weeks of nights before that, Clarissa lustfully returned the contact completely helpless to resist. Controlled like a puppet on a string by the urges he satisfied better than any other. Legend's hands wound their way around her backside and lifted her onto the platform of the helicopter as all the while her hands fumbled greedily at his belt. Worryingly she no longer even concerned herself about location anymore, in the last two weeks they had fucked they had done it in far stranger places and far tighter situations than atop the lit-up roof of the Shinra building. It was worrying because it was so unlike her, she used to be so reserved in this department, if anything she had been a bit of a prude but now this younger, arrogant, narcissist of a man was driving her crazy. Copying her very clumsy and awkward attempts Legend showed her up by expertly undoing her trousers in one smooth motion as if to prove a point and drove his hand deep into her underwear. The female Turk shuddered, with over twice as many missions under her belt as him, Shotgun was in every sense the man's superior but not in this. With a playboy reputation that could rival Reno's he was the teacher and she the helpless pupil here. Four years younger and Legend had easily screwed twenty times more people than her.

That bothered Clarissa. Shotgun on the other hand loved it, it was the perfect arrangement for no-strings-attached sex. Or at least that was how it was intended to be.

With libido going wild and his hands working their magic expertly, the female Turk's body was sent into a hot panting overdrive and it was all she could manage to force the blasted belt undone. Tackling the rest however went to the wind as his mouth began working faster than his hands and his tongue worked the inside of her mouth causing her head to go into tail-spin. It was pleasurable but too passionate, too intimate and when the man's hand stopped cupping her breast inside her half-pushed back suit jacket to caress the side of her face, Clarissa pulled away in alarm.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? DON'T DO THAT!"

"What?" he blinked in surprise.

"That! THAT THERE! The face touching!"

"Fuck sakes, not this again Gun" Legend rolled his eyes, clutching onto her knees to stop her pushing him away from his highly intimate position between her legs.

'Again' was referencing two nights ago when she had woken up after fucking him all night in a room at a sector three inn to find him stroking her hair while she was sleeping. She had gone berserk, she couldn't handle that, this was not emotionally invested sex or love-making, this was fucking, it had to be fucking. Two colleagues mutually satisfying one another's needs. Shotgun couldn't accept it as anything else.

"It has to be no strings attached you fucking idiot!"

"Why? Why does it?"

"Because I said it does. Now get the hell of me!" she snarled when he still refused to relinquish his hold of her legs.

"No! Fuck that! That's a shitty answer Gun. I'm a big boy, I can handle a couple of broken strings."

"WELL MAYBE I CAN'T!" she practically shrieked, aghast at what he was saying.

Shoving him violently away she hopped off the platform and stormed for the driver seat of the chopper while doing her trousers back up. She had let this go on too long, for too many nights she had gone to him and she should have known it when she awoke to his intently staring face that night. She should have known when he started passing up on opportunities to sleep with other woman where this was going.

"Well then… fuck you!"

Clarissa paused with her shaking hand grasping the door. She was about to shout something back at him but a whoosh of air stronger than the wind around them and the sound of tall heels landing crisply on concrete distracted her. Whirling around the female gunners expression bomb-shelled at the sight of enormous torn carmine wings, a deathly moonlight face she recognised and a petite woman's frame covered in accentuating nightmarish armor.

Stepping forward together, both her and Legend closed ranks instinctively with hands readying close to concealed guns.

"That's… holy shit" her partners voice bottomed out quietly.

"Cissnei?" Clarrisa called, disbelieving of what had become of her old colleague and the departments renegade black sheep.

Hellfire eyes focused on her and Cissnei moved towards her until suddenly Legend moved defensively ahead a number of inches which Clarissa warmed but Shotgun despaired at.

"Legend…"

The creature that resembled Cissnei turned its focus to the challenging man and a small smile played across ashen lips.

"You know you got some hell of a nerve coming…"

In one burst of impossible speed Cissnei disappeared and by the time even Clarissa's sharp reflexes had drawn her gun, the stomach turning sound of a body being impaled and Legend's short terrible grunt froze her limbs solid. Gripped with dread by that sound she didn't want to move, she didn't want to turn but she did anyway.

"Lege-?"

He was stood there unmoving, with one of the long sharp spikes that tipped the enormous bat-like wings imbedded in his chest right before her eyes.

Clarissa's heart slammed through the floor, painfully.

"… Legend? LEGEND!"

Dropping her gun completely the horrified woman fell to catch the younger agents body as he fell down and then sideways from his knees.

"LEGEND! No no no no no no!"

Head in her lap the man's still conscious eyes met with hers, watching her, looking like he wanted to speak but he couldn't. All he could do as his body jolted and twitched, as his internal systems rapidly began shutting down one by one and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, was watch the first tears the shotgun specialist had shed in nearly ten years fall. It was in that moment, while Legend's last seconds of life were quickly running out, that she did the same thing she had reprimanded him about and tenderly stroked her fingers across his cheek. Letting Clarissa's true feelings show for just one small moment. When baby-blue orbs consumed in fear gained a semblance of peace from her action seconds before they stilled, seeing it broke the already heavily fragmented pieces of Carissa's heart into even smaller pieces.

"Come. Don't be sad. He dies in six months from now and under far more tragic circumstance. So if anything you should be happy."

Her face was turned upwards by the chin away from Legend's lifeless face to meet with the demons. A hand of dagger black nails tucked back a section of her hair from her face that was clung damply to hate-filled eyes.

"Mmmm, Cissnei has always been jealous of you, how pretty you are, how skilled you've always been at this little game you call the 'Turks'. You know she's looked up to you for years. Admired your ability to separate your emotions from your actions but that isn't true now is it 'Clary'? Funny that you should be so adept at taking lives but so angry when one is taken from you."

Continuing to toy with the curves of her face the creature knelt to her level.

"Now my darling, I need you to pass a message on for me."


	50. Clouding fate

**Chapter 50 Part 1- Clouding fate**

"Did you miss me?"

"KUNSEL!" , "KUNSEL!"

"Yuffie! They're back!"

"Heeey, where ya' been foo'!?"

Stepping onto the deck of the Highwind to a very warm welcome Kunsel reached out and grasped Zack's forearm, relief and a bitter-sweet smile on both SOLDIER's faces that their paths were once again united.

"You look terrible dude."

Zack's laugh sounded more hollow than usual, void of the positivity and liveliness it usually had. He was taking Aerith's disappearance hard.

"You don't look so hot yourself. It's good to have you back Kunsel."

"Yeah, about that…"

Kunsel addressed every member of AVALANCHE present, Zack, Barret, Tifa, Red and Jessie, standing with welcoming faces in a loosely formed half circle around him.

"About me and Cissnei leaving the way we did. I'm sorry that-"

"BRIGHT-EYES!"

A familiar voice and recognisable knee-length booted footsteps charged along the iron decking of the airship and the swordsman grinned at Yuffie as the young woman came out of nowhere to shoot her arms around his middle. The enthusiasm took Kunsel by surprise, not to mention winded him a bit. He had more been expecting Yuffie to…

"Hey you big jerk! Why did you run off without saying bye to me!?" the sixteen year-old Wutain princess barked, thumping him painfully in the arm.

… do that.

"I missed you to."

With hands planted squarely on her hips, the raven-haired girl stepped away genuinely angry and in no mood for sarcasm.

"You left! Without saying goodbye you just left!"

"I-"

"No! Cissnei I get because that's the kind of thing she does but you, you were the one who told me I had to stop trying to do everything alone. That we were a team and we had to start trusting each other. You're a selfish hypocrite! That's what you are."

"Yeah I guess I deserve that. I'm sorry-"

"Apologies can wait" Zack stepped in placing a hand on the reprimanding ninja's armoured shoulder plate. "Cid will have the ship refuelled soon and we have to be certain of our destination when he does. We need to make finding Aerith our only priority right now."

"Yeah and when I get my hands on Pinko she's going to get the same piece of my mind!"

"Yuffie, calm down" Tifa hushed sympathetically, patting their youngest teammate on the arm then advanced his way with a desperate hopefulness in her countenance. "Kunsel, you said on the phone you knew where Aerith was going? That you knew the way to the city? Is that true?"

"And where is Cissnei anyway? Is she alright? Why's she not with you?" Jessie followed straight after before he could answer.

"And why am I able to smell two other humans nearby?" Red spoke warily, becoming alert and looking suspiciously towards the gangway at his back.

Kunsel took a step back from the circle becoming gradually smaller and more intense.

"Look, I know I have a lot of explaining to do guys and it's not going to be easy" he sighed feeling mentally exhausted. "Truth be told, I've been thinking about how I'm going to tell you all this over and over and I still haven't the faintest idea how I'm going to do it. So I'm just going to introduce you to them instead. Vincent."

Stepping with crisp metallic footsteps onto the airship, Kunsel watched the blank faces of AVALANCHE with a grimace as the crimson gunman made his entrance. The trio had agreed that introducing them one at a time would be wise and based on AVALANCHE's faces now, that opinion didn't change. Silence befell the group, the kind of silence one would expect when a man with golden razor pointed boots, a golden claw and a supernatural spine-chilling presence about him made a sudden unexpected appearance. The second class SOLDIER didn't even need to turn to know that his advice of 'smile' and 'try not to look like you kill puppies for fun' was being very much ignored by the ex-Turk.

Eventually it was Barret who inelegantly broke the quiet first.

"Ooh tha' 'ells this guy?"

Kunsel looked to Zack who had his arms folded in a mix of thoughtfulness and wariness.

"This is Vincent Valentine. He's Cissnei's uncle."

There was a round of light gasps and multiple eyebrows that were furrowed in deep frowns, elevated in surprise.

"Uncle? Cissnei never said she had an uncle. She told me she didn't have any family" Tifa remarked, adopting a similar stance next to Zack.

"Yeah, it was about the only personal thing she ever did share with us" Jessie supported, fiddling with the zooming lens on her pulled down tech-googles making it rather unsubtly obvious that the red-head engineer was stealing a sneaky close up of Vincent's prosthetic.

"Cissnei didn't know she had an uncle left so she was telling you the truth. Vincent's been um… missing… for about thirty years."

"Missing where?" Zack voiced everyone's question flatly.

Kunsel hesitated and shared a fleeting exchange with the cloaked man in question.

"He's been… Well…. This is going to sound crazy but he's kinda been… umm….. You see this is the part that's difficult to-"

"Ahh fer Christ sake jus' come out wid' it already would ya'!" Barret warbled, waving his real arm wildly in annoyance. "I been dragging my ass through crazy shit for months. Fightin' robots, fightin' ghosts, fighting alien spooks without no friggin' head! I seen dead dudes come back to life. I see you get fixed up with nothin' but Aerith's hands and that weird lifestream shit! Hell! I seen a whole buildin' turn into a tiny ball of materia in front'a ma' eyes without his spiky ass inside getting' crushed! I seen just about every kinda crazy they is so jes spit it out an' give it to us straight already! Ain't nothin' you say can screw my head up anymore."

Five human heads and one feline head turned to him from the Coral gunman having an episode and Kunsel swallowed dryly.

_Well, here goes._

"Ok then. He's been missing inside a coffin for thirty years in the basement of the Shinra mansion and Vincent's here because he knows where the city is. And he knows because he's kinda from a future where all of you and him have already been there, saved the world and beat Sephiroth once before. Well actually twice before. More or less."

….

….

Any onlooker at this point would have believed a flock of cockatrice had attacked the deck of the Highwind with a barrage of status spells.

….

….

"Fuck it I was wrong" Barret lamented, slapping his real hand against his head and breaking the groups petrification.

"What!?"

"THE FUTURE!?"

"Bright-eyes picked up a crazy person and now he's crazy too."

"Is this some kind of joke!?"

The only person that didn't explode and kept quiet on the deck was Zack who didn't seem a fraction as shocked as he should have been. That peaked Kunsel's curiosity.

"Kunsel you can't tell me you seriously believe he's from the future and knows all of us. I've never met him in my life" Tifa's voice carried among the blur of largely incoherent shouting that was going on.

Carrying even greater still was Vincent's low-pitched rumbling tone that cut through the clamour like a knife.

"Tifa Lockhart of Nibelheim."

Everyone shut up instantaneously.

"You had an accident on a bridge in your hometown when you were twelve which Cloud Strife, who you harbour great affection towards, took the blame for. You don't tell anyone about the incident because to this day you still feel guilty about it, which you find to be silly because you were only kids and it was no-ones fault."

The dark brunette fighter nearly tripped backwards in astonishment.

"Pah! So he knows some story tha' could'a easily got-"

"Barret Wallace of Corel. You've been raising Marlene, your best friends child who until recently you discovered was still alive. You've been saving a secret fund for her so that one day you can take her away to some place where the 'air ain't fouler than a Malboro's breath'. You hope someday after you aid the reconstruction that place could be Corel but because you know it will always be rough around the edges you worry what Tifa will say. You do not wish to separate Marlene from the only mother figure she has."

Kunsel had never seen a black man's face pale to such a light shade before and even though Vincent had thoroughly silenced him, the ex-Turk showed no sign of stopping now as he casually moved through the group with total control and ease.

"Red thirteen of Cosmo, or as I'm sure everyone already knows by this point, Nanaki. You tell everyone that you are the last of your species even though your grandfather informed you many years ago that it is possible some of your kind might yet live out in the deepest unexplored reaches of the canyon. You do not tell another living soul about it for another five years because you fear it may be nothing more than a rumour but more than anything because you do not wish to give yourself false hope."

Red's expressions were naturally the hardest to decipher of them all but there was no doubt among anyone that from what they could interpret, every word Vincent had spoken was true.

The next person in the circle that Vincent's gaze fell upon to receive a piece of impossible truth was Jessie. However he merely paused, stared at the female engineer for some time without saying anything and then moved along, filling the tech-whizz's widened stare with concern.

"… Yuffie Kisaragi, royal princess of Wutai."

There was a definite weighty pause in the ex-Turk's voice now as his stare levelled with the female shuriken wielder who squeaked at hearing her name and then openly blushed for all to see.

"You said the first time you ever met me you thought I looked like a 'sexy vampire', so I assume that is what you are thinking at this current moment. You love the sea even though you suffer greatly from motion sickness. You think eyebrows are weird. You have a speech impediment on a list of words that you carefully avoid using so no one finds out about it. You worry what people think about you more than you ever want them to realize and your biggest fear is any of your friends or people you care about leaving you again."

Time stood still on the deck of the Highwind, where even Kunsel was now stunned by the manner with which Vincent advanced towards Yuffie and the depth with which he spoke. No one was daring to breath or could breath, except Yuffie who's breathing was heavy, her chest rising and falling in a growing swell of emotion the closer he got.

"You've only ever been in love with one man but you only realized it after he left you, after he broke your heart. A man who was your mentor and your best friend, a man you grew closer to in the first thirteen years of your life than any other. A man who one day left you hurt and alone in that big palace without ever goodbye when you were still young. A man named Lei Feng."

Yuffie inhaled sharply as hot tears poured from the corner of her dark chocolate orbs. Too many to catch with the back of her desperately swiping yellow fingerless gloves leaving the rest to fall into the fabric of her green sleeveless turtle neck jumper cropped to above the belly button. It was wrenching to see and from the edge of his vision Kunsel saw Tifa attempt to go to the drowning girl but was stilled by Zack's hand on her arm.

"He left a big hole in your life Yuffie, as equally big as the one your mother left and you say it is hard at times because I remind you of him. You often wonder if he is still alive."

There was a despondency in the way Vincent spoke that coupled with the gentle, borderline affectionate way he spoke to Yuffie, left Kunsel once again completely clueless as to what kind of man Vincent Valentine really was.

"You say you wish knew what happened to him, even if it is just so you are able to move on. Does that remain true?"

The petite shrinking girls whimpered response of "yes" was almost inaudible.

"Very well. Then I can tell you he is alive, living as a Turk like I once was with mako enhancements. He has no memory of his past or his true identity and goes by the name of Volk."

Kunsel's head span, he had never known about the person who trained Yuffie previous to Zack to connect the dots before. She had never told them a thing.

"… how? H-h-h-how do you kn-know he's…?" Yuffie struggled to speak, a total mess.

"Because he's standing right behind me."

How long Volk had been there no one knew. Stood on the edge of the Highwind's walkway in that infamous black suit, his expression unreadable with his chain katana sat neatly at the entrance of his open jacket.

Seeing the man who had not aged a day as Vincent stepped aside, the sixteen year old princess emitted a burst of sound that was joy, pain, relief, sorrow and the purest of emotion any of them had ever seen from the girl. All of AVALANCHE remained transfixed and rooted to the spot all the while Yuffie walked numbly towards the Turk, focused on nothing other than sapphire eyes, looking like her world had just been turned upside down. During those tense tentative steps no one was sure what to expect or knew what would happen, Volk included it seemed. It was however far beyond anyone's imagining that once she was close enough, Yuffie would run, cry out his name…

"LEI!"

Throw her arms around the frozen ice-reapers shoulders and press her lips against his in a passionate embracing kiss.

Eyes attempted to avert away from the intimacy that lasted well over five seconds and in that time Kunsel gravely caught Zack's eye who scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. Discomfort which quickly turned to alarm when Yuffie pulled her mouth away from the thoroughly shell-shocked Wutain swordsmen, stood panting breathlessly up at him and then swung a forceful resonating slap across his face before running in tears for the door leading down into the ship's hull.

Yuffie!" Tifa took after her, throwing her hand back when the Turk with a bright red handprint emblazoned on his cheek looked like he was going to do likewise. "No! You stay away!"

Making chase Tifa ran for the stairwell, intercepting a very roughed up and confused blonde captain at the top who had just nearly had himself bowled over by Yuffie.

"Oi I said no runnin' on the bendy's shrimp!... damn energetic kid. Yo Queeney-doll, we ready to haul some curvaceous ass? The big ladies all tanked up and ready to give some sweet sweet lovin' to the skies-"

The barmaid also shoved her way passed in a hurry, forcefully removing Cid from her path in the process.

"Ey take it easy sweet'eart!"

Unpinning himself from the wall the captain stepped out onto the deck, gruffly straightening out his rugged navy aviators jacket.

"Tsk, no friggin' respect. Ay Barret! You gettin' butt naked up here fella or… did I miss something?" Cid's voice faded, finally noticing the solemn curtain that had fallen upon the rest of them.

"Ooh's the guy with the claw?"

* * *

**Chapter 50 Part 2- Clouding fate**

They were going to have to camp out overnight.

That was Elena's resentful conclusion as the pale blonde Turk studied the leafy canopy above. Thankfully the trees were thinning at last but so to was the light, leaving little chance of them reaching a suitable clearing for extraction before nightfall even if they ran it. Not that she could run, she was absolutely shattered, a truth she would sooner pass out from then let the girl traipsing through the woodland foliage behind her realize. Elena couldn't even blame it on the injuries, the day of mostly silent and macabre travelling with the Cetra female had honestly been brutal. Her calves and thighs were burning, her tattered suit jacket long ago discarded along with the matching silk black tie and her once white shirt was covered in grass stains and sweat.

Elena looked down the front of her body feeling gross, she didn't even have terribly large breasts by any standards and yet her cleavage was soaked. Thankfully she had come prepared for this mission and had a change of clothes packed in the small holdall slung over her one good arm which was a huge relief. The thought of the boss seeing her this way was enough to turn her hair the couple of shades lighter it required to become completely white.

Crunching her way mutely through the undergrowth, her mission objective appeared into sight with the same disturbingly earnest look about her that she had worn most of the day.

"Need to rest?"

The brunette jumped a little and removing her stare from the ground, shook her head. She didn't even speak anymore.

Elena suppressed the urge to sigh, she was hoping Aerith would say yes so she would also have an excuse to take a break without coming across as the weak one who needed to stop first. It confused the blonde martial artist, wherever it was the slightly limping flower girl thought she was going it was clear as day that she wasn't happy about it so what was driving her so relentlessly? What was giving Aerith such strength and determination to push on way beyond her means? There was no question that like Elena she to was exceeding the limits of her physical endurance so whatever it was it had to be important.

The pair struggled on in complete silence for another three hours until night had descended and they ran a very serious risk of being overwhelmed in an attack from even the smallest pack of wildlife critters. In those three hours Aerith's mood hadn't changed, if anything it had worsened. Like every step they took in this northern direction was sapping the spirit from the woman's body and weighing her soul down to the point where even Elena herself felt miserable. Occasionally during the grim trek alongside the AVALANCHE fugitive she would catch Aerith squeezing her hands together or opting to hold her staff in an attempt to disguise that they were trembling. Was it because of her that she was scared? Was it because of where she thought she was trying to get to? Or was it because she knew she was going to be taken back to Shinra and most likely that nutcase of a professor? Elena didn't care, all she knew was this mission couldn't end soon enough.

The camp they setup was basic, two similar thin foam mats laid out beside the trunk of a fallen tree for light shelter from the wind and a crude fire of dry leaves and sticks just about fierce enough to cook with. Using the log that was close enough to feel the warmth of the flames as a bench, Elena stretched her aching legs out, the sore muscles in her lower body hovering dangerously on the cusp of cramping. In front of her, no longer caring about the stains to her pink dress either, Aerith sat quietly on the floor beside the fire stirring a container of non-descript liquid sustenance. Sitting on her legs with bulky brown boots tucked sideways under her, the target was taking a very distracted zombie-like approach to the task she had volunteered for. Taking advantage of the cooks spaced-out gazing, Elena placed the compact butterfly handgun she was lazily cleaning down beside her on the wooden bench and unbuttoned her shirt. Not that she was particularly bothered if the older woman did see her in her bra.

Sliding out of the dirty clothing Elena gingerly inspected the blackened and purpling wound on her arm, it was an ugly healing process but one that would work as long as she kept applying the salve and a few rounds of cure materia to it. Reaching into the holdall between her legs she took out the small tin of sticky medicinal gloop to apply another unpleasant stinging layer.

"Let me heal it for you."

The shirtless Turk's hand twitched for her gun, often a natural instinct when she was caught off guard however she didn't follow through, gave the woman now stood facing her dolefully a distasteful look and continued unscrewing the balm.

"Please Elena…"

"Didn't I say I would shoot you the next time you pestered me about my arm. I don't want your bloody help."

"Then shoot me."

Whether it was because she was extremely tired that she didn't notice the girl approach, Elena was startled when her gun was suddenly picked up from right beside her and placed gently in her lap so the flower-girl was able to sit beside her. By the time the Turk had noticed and tried to react defensively, a warm, instantly soothing hand took a tight hold of her arm.

"Please. I know you don't need it but it will make me feel better."

Elena had been adamant all day about refusing help from the brunette and she would have pulled herself out of Aerith's grip but something about the peculiarity of immediate relief from the constant agony by just a touch of the woman's hand prevented her from doing so.

"You… How?... You couldn't even if I let you, you ran out of ethers hours ago."

"I don't need them."

Elena would like to say she let Aerith continue at that point out of dubious mocking curiosity and not because she wanted her arm fixed but the truth was… it fucking hurt and she wanted her arm fixed. Seeing her acceptance Aerith closed her eyes while Elena bitterly swallowed her pride and let the Cetra take hold of her wrist with one hand and place the other against the injury up near her bicep. A few seconds later an indescribable wave of serenity and concentration flowed over the troubled girls face that made Elena hold her breath with anticipation that something really was going to happen.

When the emerald tendrils of light snaked from the hand pressed flat against her arm, Elena immediately tried to recoil in alarm but Aerith's grip on her wrist tightened, anticipating her natural reaction to pull away. The Turk watched fearfully stunned as the ethereal green matter wound its way around her arm, twisting into the damaged flesh with a warm tingling sensation that spread across her body.

To say she was astonished by her injury visibly healing before her eyes back into smooth un-scorched skin would be an understatement.

When no trace remained that a wound had ever existed, an open-mouthed Elena assumed that would be the end but Aerith's brow creased confusedly and slowly the woman's impossibly glowing hand ran its way up her arm and across onto the front of her shoulder making the Turk shiver. More warm tingling spread through her body, deeper and more concentrated this time into the exact unhealed spot where she had been shot in the Midgar incident. From her shoulder the soft palm acting like a metal detector for injuries brushed its way across onto her collar bone, down to the very centre of her chest between the valley of her cleavage and slowly shifted diagonally up to a point just above her right breast. The second of the three grievous bullet wound areas that had been far more fatal than the rest. Elena blushed but remained motionless and after the light had worked its impossible magic the entranced brunette continued down her torso to the middle of her stomach, moved two inches to the right, down three inches, then back up an inch to a point about four inches above her hip. The third and final gunshot location that had almost claimed her life and she had still not fully recovered from.

The entire camp that was illuminated in a dazzling lime radiance, surged blindingly one final time before fading back to a dim low level orange. The last Elena saw of the supernatural light was in Aerith's eyes, her pupils ablaze in the curative efflorescence as she opened them before they too reverted back to their natural emerald-green.

"… how? … how did you do that?"

In the same way the light had faded from her eyes, the joy and vitality drained from Aerith's features so profoundly she was hardly recognisable as being the same person.

"I've done it before but never that easily. It's this place, I can feel my powers getting stronger the closer we get."

Elena blinked dumbfounded. Should she take that as a threat? Something that could put the mission at jeopardy? Surely stronger powers was something to be happy, not miserable, about?

"But why did you heal my other injuries? You didn't cause them. You had no reason to feel guilty about those."

"Because that's just who I am" came the brunette's simple response as she stood up to return to the simmering pot on the fire.

The Turk was left briefly at a loss for words.

"Don't think that by being nice to me it will change anything. I'm still going to hand you over" Elena blurted out, trying to shake the uncomfortable sensation the selfless act was giving her.

Aerith sat back down facing in the opposite direction making no reply which only served to deepen the female Turk's shame. Pulling a fresh shirt on with far more ease than what she would have five minutes ago, Elena's cheeks burned, recognising she was being a total bitch. Her body felt rejuvenated, free of the constant agony that had been weighing heavier on her than she had realized for nearly a month. Even the act of breathing that had felt restricted and tight was coming easier now. In fact it was only now that she was free of it that it dawned on Elena just how much pain she had really been in.

Doing up the final button at her chest to wear her shirt loosely, the blonde Turk fidgeted unsurely. She was stubborn and often too proud, Elena knew that. They were the strongest of her negative personal traits but ironically they were also the reason she had got to where she was today. The difference was she recognised those qualities in herself more these days, perhaps that was Tseng's influence rubbing off on her?

"Thanks."

It stung the driven martial artist to say it and it appeared from the way Aerith paused, discreetly nodded her head and continued stirring without making a big deal, that she knew it to. It was then for the first time that Elena observed the screen of long tumbling curls with something other than derision but nor as profound as respect. From the way she dressed and the innocent kindness she exhibited that gave a false illusion of ignorance, Elena had believed the target nothing more than a silly little girl. Time spent was showing her differently, that Aerith Gainsborough was no weakling. She had strength, strength not only in a fight but strength of will, strength of purpose and the strength to stand up and follow her own convictions. She even nearly had the strength to perfectly disguise those convictions though they were clearly breaking her heart. In that respect it seemed Aerith was just as stubborn as she was.

Elena shook her head scornfully and with a fraction of pity at the slum girl visibly struggling to contain her grief beside the fire, betrayed by shoulders that after many quiet contemplative minutes had begun trembling. Why would anyone persist with anything that made them this miserable?

"Elena..."

She glanced up from the handgun she was absently toying with to occupy her hands.

"Do you think there's a heaven?"

The whispered question delivered with a distinct edge of fear and sorrow took the agent by surprise and left her unsure of what to say.

"I don't know…"

There were few reasons a person would ask that kind of question and hearing it now gave Elena's growing suspicion on what the Cetra was attempting to do greater merit. It explained why Aerith would be this frightened and though it didn't matter, the gun expert went against her nature to offer the comfort that was being sorely sought after.

"… I mean, I haven't really thought about it but I guess there has to be something after you die."

The only reaction she was able to read from the back of the shaking flower girls physicality this time was the woman's hand moving up to wipe near her face and the small bow of her head.

"Thankyou Elena."

"Thankyou? For wha-"

"For being here. Just being here. I don't think I could have done this if I was all alone. Truly. Thankyou."

The blonde assassin disregarded those words and busied herself with making some positional adjustment to the simplistic rolled out beddings, letting the gratitude she was being given go in one ear and out the other. It didn't matter. It didn't matter if Aerith was scared, it didn't matter where she thought she going or what terrible fate she was thanking Elena for helping her to face and it didn't matter because she would never face it. Tomorrow morning Tseng would be arriving with the helicopter and they would be making their way to back to Rufus Shinra's office over in Junon. She had been accompanying the target this whole time under false pretences and that was the real reason she hadn't wanted to accept the healing from the Ancient.

Because now she felt like shit about it.

* * *

**Chapter 50 Part 3- Clouding fate**

The deafening thrum of cascading water roared ferociously in the blonde's ears, so much so even the hail of vicious gunfire pounding the cold jet sprayed air was struggling to compete.

How Vincent ever considered this place a peaceful get away he would never know.

Another stalagmite violently exploded to his right showering him in debris. Now at his back, mystical flames chasing his sprinting heel and again to his right, cutting off one of the only two escape routes available to him in this narrow cavernous labyrinth.

Deadly stone hurtled down from above, crashing through the floor and causing it to fall away beneath his feet, forcing the guardian to leap twenty feet and find a new path. His speed allowed him to run the wall of the aggressively quaking cave that seemed just as intent on killing him as the three lunatics attacking him from all directions.

He ducked, dodged, swung his sword to cut through obstructions when necessity called for it and kept running.

_Twisting_

_Turning_

_Diving_

_Chaos_

_insanity_

He'd have to change streams soon, the illusion of Lucrecia's cave wouldn't hold much longer and his attackers were guiding his path towards a dead-end like cattle to the slaughterhouse.

More childish maniacal laughter joined the cacophony of warfare as another volley of bullets was unleashed by his pursuers. Luckily for him only one of them ever had a good shot.

Forced to rapidly detach the Hollow Blade sword from First Testsuguri, Cloud span in mid-air to catch the incoming projectiles with the sturdy V-shaped blade. Four pinpoint accurate bullets twanged against the folded steel, slowing him down just as the silver marksman had intended. The familiar sensation of shadow-step magic soon teased at the hairs on the back of Cloud's neck and lifting his off-hand the fallen hero defended his rear from the brute force electrical punch with the remaining five assembled pieces of the fusion great-sword. Predicting that the Souba of the most skilled and sinister of the trio would strike next was obvious but that didn't make it any easier to defend against and Cloud was just about able to get the Hollow Blade in place to parry the multiple killing blows aimed for his chest. He was always 'just about able'.

Hurtling through the caverns with the remnants now upon him, the flurry of attacks came at him in a blur.

_Fist_

_Sword_

_Bullet_

_Sword_

_Bullet_

_Fist_

Over and over again so fast that half the time he relied on his body moving on pure instinct alone to keep up. They were always a nightmare to deal with together but now that they were growing stronger and himself weaker by the day, not having himself purged from the lifestream was all he could manage to do. He had to jump, now.

Pushing his swordplay to the limit the guardian used what strength he had left to force an opening between the chorus of clashing steel, disconnect the twin Side Blades, reconnect the Hollow Blade, toss the Main Blade and catching the identical swords, unleashed the special tornado attack 'Finish Touch'. The wind-based limit break worked at disarming the youngest cat-eyed aggressor's Souba while throwing the hefty fist fighter away into his brother raining gunfire upon him from afar. Taking the only opportunity he would get, Cloud caught the Main Blade in mid-flight, reassembled the Fusion Swords and hitting the ground set his sights on the thundering wall of water straight ahead. Moving at a sprint Cloud focused his mind just as Aerith's mother had taught him and cast himself without hesitation into the waterfall.

The universe melted into a shapeless swirl of bending and twisting colours, his feet hitting open air for a number of seconds before jarring upon concrete. Reality, if you could call it that, reformed around him and Cloud stumbled clumsily to a stop, hanging all of his weight on the hilt of his down-turned great-sword while gasping for breath. At least he had managed to stay on his feet this time, that was a first.

The first sense the perspiring warrior was able to collect to identify his surrounding was his hearing. A fanfare of playful music chiming out happily reaching his ears among the loud rattling of wheels against tracks and the bang, cracks and fizzes of fireworks. His almost completely green eyes confirmed the colourful spectacle above along with rows of vibrant empty stalls across a cobbled square, colorful banners, bright dancing chocobo statues and behind him, a giant vacant roller coaster in full operation.

He had landed in the speed square at the golden saucer.

"You can't run brother."

Cloud turned a fast one-hundred and eighty degrees with his Buster Sword shaped weapon raised to see the smirking trio marching confidently through a rift in the streams with Kadaj taking the lead.

_How had they followed him?_

"Isn't it obvious? Like us you carry mothers cells. Where ever you go so mother and her children can go with you. A real family wouldn't you say big brother!?"

A round of gleeful snickers was made by the black leather clad remnants, most excited of which was from Loz at the rear, his eyes darting in every direction around the children's theme park in pure elation.

"Brother wants to play!"

The cold dead-eyed marksman of the group trained Velvet Nightmare in his direction and Cloud looked around at his options, he wouldn't be able to jump again anytime soon.

"Brother never wants to play" Yazoo chanted chillingly monotone much to Loz's dismay who let out an emotional wail.

"No, no he doesn't" Kadaj bared his teeth, advancing with his Souba tucked away in a concealed under-hand grip. "That's why mother doesn't want him around anymore!"

The remnant took flight, leaping forward to attack his left side with Loz doing likewise on his right to launch a combined assault upon him. Standing his ground, Cloud readied himself for the outnumbered fight but before swords could clash, a stocky figure and a blaze of jet-black hair rushed swiftly passed from the edge of his vision. Steel that wasn't his hacked in a powerful under-hand swing at the Souba and on his other side a burst of incendiary magic erupted over his shoulder. The dense fireball hit an airborne Loz square in the chest, sending him hurtling backwards to land and bounce heavily across the speed square at Yazoo's feet with Kadaj landing nimbly at his side.

Cloud acknowledged either side of him. To Angeal wielding the buster sword who nodded to him shortly and then to Ifalna with her crystal staff raised, the brunettes emerald-eyes narrowed on the remnants.

"HEY! No fair!" Loz whined angrily climbing to his feet, a large blackened ring burned to the front of his tough leather armour.

"Hmph. I'm guessing maths is not your strong point?" Angeal mocked at the short-haired muscled remnant.

"You don't belong here. Leave now" Ifalna commanded sternly.

Kadaj's sharp serpent eyes flashed with pleasure as he stalked back and forth in front of his brothers with the palm of his free hand turned upright.

"But of course madam, being in this vile place is making me quite sick. No we do not belong here." Kadaj stopped his pacing and pointed directly Cloud's way. "But neither does he. We will be more than glad to take him away for you."

Zack's old mentor responded by pointing the buster sword right back at arm's length.

"Why don't you give that a try?"

The most easily provoked of the trio made to take the first class up on his offer and retaliate but Loz was stilled by the by the back of Kadaj's elevated hand, knowing unlike his sibling that this was now a fight they would not win.

"No need, we are in no rush. Sephiroth has delivered us the planets nasty little secret and soon, Gaia's power to reverse its timeline will belong to mother."

A rift different to the one the remnants had come through appeared at their backs.

"Then we will have all the time in the world."

The smug swordsman laughed at his own ironically literal statement and made his exit, followed by a disappointed Loz and lastly Yazoo stepped back into the void after burning mostly Ifalna with his disturbingly analytical stare.

Cloud watched on as the rift gradually sealed itself, letting his sword hang by his side once it was small enough that the remnants of Sephiroth couldn't return through it.

"How did they get here?"

Ifalna hung her head.

"It is because we are getting closer to… 'that' time."

"So what happens now?" Cloud continued bitterly, clenching his grip around the hilt in his grasp, never feeling more helpless in his life than he did now.

"Either Aerith does what is required so you can return and finish this for good" Angeal replied, returning the buster sword to his back and fixing the blonde with a grave, almost completely venomous green stare of his own. "Or we all start getting used to the word 'mother'."


	51. Out of character

**Chapter 51 Part 1- Out of character**

When Tseng was assigned to watch their target, he was expecting absolute chaos. A child, seven years of age, was bound to be a complete nightmare after all. Nonetheless, as the stoic professional stepped into the run-down church in the slums, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at the hunched frame of a tiny girl tending to a small patch of greenery amongst the splintering floor boards.

Her chestnut brown hair hung down her back in a long braid, moving as the fragile child reached forward into the patch of green with enthusiasm. Cherubically chubby fingers gently parted the lush grass into two parts, revealing a small bud amongst the weeds.

"Sir, come see! It's a flower bud!" the little girl exclaimed enthusiastically, not noticing the momentarily surprised look on Tseng's face as the Turk wondered how the little girl had managed to detect his presence.

And then he remembered.

She was an Ancient, of course she could detect the fluctuations of the Lifestream when living beings came and went. Tseng smirked to himself and stepped forward, both curious and wary. It was unheard of to spot blooms within the slums, there was not enough sunlight to sustain any living thing for a long amount of time.

Tseng frowned as he registered the paleness of his target's skin.

The slums were no place for a little girl. Especially one so important for the future of the world.

"Are you here by yourself?" Tseng asked, his tone flat.

The young girl stood carefully and brushed her soiled hands against her pink and blue summer dress. She turned around and tilted her head innocently as she regarded the suited man with curiosity.

Tseng held his breath as his target's clear, emerald eyes stared up at him innocently. There seemed to be a sense of loneliness in the young girl's eyes, yet still, she smiled up at him in a brilliant display of childish amusement.

"No, you're here with me, Mr. Bodyguard!" Tseng took a surprised step back at the child's declaration. After his momentary shock at her surprisingly accurate guess of his occupation, Tseng made eye contact with his target yet again.

"My name is Tseng."

The girl nodded thoughtfully as she took a step forward. Tseng frowned as the girl reached up and tugged at the sleeve of his immaculate uniform.

She got dirt all over it. Still, Tseng allowed himself to be tugged down into a kneeling position so that he was at eye-level with his young target and the pretty child blinked almost blankly at Tseng before she broke out into a wide grin.

"I'm Aerith Gainsborough! I live in Sector Five!" Aerith shoved her dirty hands into Tseng's field of view, wiggling her chubby digits with fervour. Tseng nodded at his target's fingers and surprised himself as he pulled out a clean handkerchief from his uniform pocket and draped it gently over the young girl's hands.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aerith. You seem to have made quite the mess," Tseng pointed out, his features forming a grimace as he attempted to remove the dirt from his uniform using his hands. Aerith stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth rather adorably as she concentrated solely on cleaning her hands with Tseng's handkerchief before she settled her large, green eyes on the stoic man's presences once again.

"I like to touch the soil. It's warm and it makes me feel safe," Aerith shivered and averted her gaze from Tseng as she said this, almost as if she recalled a bad memory.

Feeling compelled to do so, Tseng placed a tentative hand on Aerith's small shoulder from his knelt position, attempting to comfort the obviously spooked child.

In such a small amount of time, the child had done the impossible. She had charmed the company man. She had won over Tseng of the Turks. Her innocent eyes had charmed Tseng in a way no other ever could.

"People say blue skies mean freedom. When Mommy got hurt, she asked the sky for help. She died. I don't like the sky. It's scary." Aerith's speech pattern was strange, but rung with truth and a hint of betrayal. Tseng gently squeezed his target's shoulder and stood. Aerith turned and watched Tseng's retreating back momentarily before her eyes widened in panic. "I'm sorry for being sad! Don't leave!"

Taken aback by the young girl's words, Tseng allowed himself yet another glance at those clear, green eyes before he let out a small sigh.

"It's getting late. You are expected to be home soon I assume?" Tseng fought at the niggling order in his mind to bring the girl back to Shinra… to the labs where Hojo wanted her. But one look into her innocent eyes rendered Tseng helpless to her unintentional charm. He couldn't feed her to the lions… not when she was like this.

He'd wait until she got older.

Until she could protect herself.

Until then…

"I'll take you home, don't be afraid."

Aerith glanced up, her eyes lit up with an expression Tseng couldn't put a name to. A few moments later, as Aerith slipped her hand into his, she flashed Tseng a charming grin before eagerly pulling him towards the door.

"Ok Mr bodyguard! If we hurry my other mommy can make dinner for the both of us!"

Though Tseng was fully aware of the child's adopted status and of the fate that had befallen her biological mother, he was curious to hear Aerith speak more on the matter.

"Your other mother?"

"Yeah! I have two mommy's and two homes which means I'm very lucky because some people don't even have one. Do you have a home and a mommy Mr bodyguard?"

The raven haired agent stared down at the tiny brunette who had ceased pulling on his arm to gaze up at him inquisitively with genuine interest.

At this rate it was going to be nightfall before they made it back to the widow Elmyra's home.

"Tseng will do fine and no I do not have a mother. As for a home…"

The Turks focus like always was instinctively drawn westward though with the Midgar plate blocking out the position of the sun there was no real way of him knowing for sure west was in fact where he was looking. But somehow he knew, he always knew, as if it were mapped on some internal biological compass he possessed or ingrained in his very being.

_A ghost of his past that would never cease haunting him._

"Yes, I have a home. But it is far far away from here."

"So is mine!" the sweet voiced girl now clutching onto his left hand with both of hers chimed excitedly, breaking Tseng from his reverie. "My mommy in the sky told me it's a lonnnng way away and it's magical and-and-and that I will go there some day when I'm bigger. Maybe we could go together and then you don't have to be scared."

If anyone had told him this morning that he would be momentarily rendered speechless by a seven year old, he would have laughed in their face.

"What makes you think I am scared?"

Small shoulders shrugged casually.

"Because you are Mr. Tseng. Even grown-ups get scared you know."

Barely able to keep the perplexity from showing in his face, Tseng stood motionless for some time in front of his new acquaintance, feeling like he was stood before an equal as opposed to an adult before a child. It was a strange sensation and one he didn't know how to handle so he turned heel and lightly pulled on the girls grasping hands to get her to follow.

"Come, let's get you home. To your real home" he clarified much to the disappointed expression he received.

"But will you still come with me to my magical home someday?"

"Sure" he muttered to keep the unrelenting girl happy.

"Do you promise?"

"No. Promises are dangerous things to make Aerith. I do not make promises."

Tiny but surprisingly strong arms adamantly pulled him to a stop and looking back over his shoulder, Tseng raised an eyebrow down at the stubborn 'I'm-not-going-to-move-until-you-say-yes' pout being directed up at him. Tseng rolled his eyes.

"Very well. I promise."

* * *

**Chapter 51 Part 2- Out of character**

"SHE PROMISED! ELENA SHE PROMISED! PLEASE TSENG I BEG YOU! LET ME GO!"

The leader of the Turks grit his teeth, the frantic woman he had pinned against the forest floor beneath him by the wrists thrashing desperately in tears. In all the years he had known Aerith he had never seen her this hysterical and there was no use in denying that it was unpleasant for him to watch.

_He had always been the one to dry her tears, never to cause them._

"Aerith calm down-"

"LET ME GO! I'M CLOSE! I'M SO CLOSE! LET ME GO!"

To think that fate would bring everything full circle like this was bitterly ironic. Forced to restrain the girl he had spent his life protecting, observing and in his own way nurturing from the same 'home' she had spoken about the first time they ever met. He remembered that day so vividly, the way she used to look at him with adoration rather than tears, misery or betrayal.

_Fuck this job._

"I know where you're going Aerith."

"Fine! It's true! I'm going to the city but you have to let me go there! I beg you Tseng! I beg you!" she cried breathlessly, thrashing her hips wildly underneath him but Tseng kept his weight on the grown flower girl to keep her pinned.

The second she had spotted him waiting in the glade with a parked helicopter, Aerith had turned tail and tried make a run for it straight back into the forest forcing him and Elena to make chase.

He had never known Aerith could run so fast.

"I have to take you back with me."

"NOOOOO!" the brunette practically screamed, so loud it startled him.

"Aerith, what on…?"

"I HAVE TO GO! I HAVE TO!… please!... please… let me go" her voiced trailed away into a whimpered high-pitched squeak, the flushed exhausted Cetra losing the strength to continue shouting as well as struggling.

Tseng blinked down at the flooded emerald eyes pleading desperately with him.

"To do what? Why do you want go there so badly?"

"I… need to see it. I just need to see it is all."

Even without the hesitation he could tell she was lying.

"Aerith, unless you tell me the truth…"

"To stop meteor!" she conceded urgently, looking terrified. "Tseng please! I found out the purpose of my mother's materia, it's to stop meteor but I have to speak the prayer of the Ancients for it to work."

"Pray away."

"No, you don't understand. It can only be done in the city. It's the only place the prayer can be properly heard."

"And that's all you intend to do there? Pray?"

"Yes! Yes. I swear to you it's the truth."

Tseng was unconvinced.

"If it's true, then why did you run away from Zack and the rest of AVALANCHE to get here?

There was a noticeable hesitation in Aerith but no sign that she was trying to lie to him.

"Zack got hurt really bad by Sephiroth, he was too injured to travel so I came alone. Please, if you love me Tseng. If you've ever loved me. Let me do this. Let me go."

The disgraced Wutain recoiled slightly and though it was his initial instinct to disregard those very profound direct words, something about the heartfelt way she delivered them and the way her tear-stained gaze softened made him pause.

_If you love me Tseng. If you've ever loved me._

With those words ringing in his ears Tseng regarded the heavily breathing woman, her brunette locks fanned out across the floor creating a striking backdrop against her skin, still pale but less pale since journeying from Midgar. He had not seen Aerith in months and it was longer still since he had truly considered her this closely and it struck him just how much she had matured. The round, young, slightly chubby baby-face he was used to had slimmed and defined, developed into the face of a woman and though Tseng kept his eyes from looking it was hard not to notice that her body had done likewise. Aerith really had grown but it was more than just the physical changes. She had a new presence about her, a new seasoned look in her eyes and an aura surrounding her that made her more womanly to behold. The events she had witnessed and the things she had experienced over the last few months had clearly changed the innocent flower girl he once knew.

The leader of the Turks had no clue why he did but he inwardly smiled, a sudden overwhelming feeling of pride within him.

"… Tseng?"

He had given up so much for the company, his pride, his honor, his compassion, his humanity. He had hurt Aerith, one of the few people he cared about on this planet on more occasions than he cared to count because of Shinra and something told him this would be the last chance she ever gave him to do it again.

And why should he? Why should he give them the last scrap of happiness he had in this world? He owed them nothing, he had more than paid his debts and only his undying hatred for a past that could never be changed chained him to Shinra.

 _If you love me Tseng. If you've ever loved me._ _Let me go._

When her wrists were suddenly released and the weight keeping her down was removed Aerith inhaled and sat up blinking in surprise as Tseng got up from his rather unsophisticated position on top of her. Before he made it to his feet however the wide-eyed twenty-one year old climbed onto her knees to intercept his hand and force him back down to be eye level with her.

Kneeling in front of one another Aerith searched his face for answers, for confirmation.

"… does this mean…?"

"I promised a little girl I would take her to see her magical home didn't I?"

Aerith's intake of breath was sharper this time, a gasp of intense shock at his remembrance of that day fourteen years ago. Shortly after her surprise Aerith tried to speak, her lips moving but no words were formed and in under a second she went from slowly welling up with new tears to erupting into a full-blown episode of audible crying into his suit jacket. Collapsing forward, Aerith forcefully buried her face against the Wutain's shoulder and trembling arms hugged tightly around him, her worn voice wailing huskily as a pent-up dam of emotion burst free.

_He had always been the one to dry her tears, never to cause them._

Tseng didn't speak, despite wanting to explain so many things to her about why he had done the things he had, it didn't seem right in the moment so he returned the hold around the flower-girls slender waist instead and remained silent. His action caused her to break down harder and acting totally out of character the agent stroked the long mass of soft curls twisting down her back, a hidden smile on his lips.

Yes, he loved Aerith Gainsborough, in a way he could never explain or put words to and for once he was going to put her happiness and his own happiness first. Shinra was in disarray, the world was potentially coming to an end, Legend was dead, Cissnei turned traitor and Shotgun had gone off the radar. Everything was going to shit anyway so why not take a break from being the last lone rock standing against the tide of chaos and let Aerith speak some harmless prayer?

The pair remained entwined in the middle of the forest floor for some time, absorbed in the first instance of peace that they had shared together since the massacre at sector seven. Neither of them noticing the blonde female Turk standing thirty feet away, teeth clenched, her eyes simmering with hatred.

* * *

**Chapter 51 Part 3- Out of character**

"Zack, quit pacing you're making me feel ill. Cid's pushing the ship as fast as it can go."

The first class ceased burning the iron decking with his boots and observed his bi-coloured eyed friend reluctantly with obliterated nerves. He was tempted to say to Kunsel 'and what if that's not fast enough?' but he couldn't let himself think like that. He needed to get his head straight, too much was going on right now for him to start losing his resolve.

"So this 'Chaos', do you think it will hurt her?"

"Cissnei? No" Kunsel replied confidently. "Chaos needs its host that much I do know but that doesn't mean she's in control of it or what it may force her to do. That's why as soon as we are done saving Aerith I'm going to find a way to get her back."

"And I'll be right there with you" Zack resolutely returned. After all, he owed Cissnei his life. "And you're sure keeping this from the others is a good idea?"

Kunsel ran an equally unsteady as Zack's hand through his brown mess of hair and stared out into the expanse of clear blue sky whizzing by from his lazily perched position on the edge of the Highwind.

"For now. Until we come up with a plan I think its best we let the others keep believing she's out gathering intel."

"So what exactly does this thing want? Vincent."

The new arrival positioned at the stern of the hull turned in response to his call.

"You were its last host right? You've got to have some sort of idea what it wants. When we get to the city is there a chance this thing is going show up and side with Sephiroth?"

Vincent Valentine, the conundrum Zack was still trying to get his head around, stared at him in lingering observation before speaking like his very existence perplexed the gunman. He was doing that a lot and Zack knew precisely why his presence here instead of Cloud's had the equally impossible man baffled. They just didn't know that he knew.

"No. I do not believe so."

"What makes you say that?" Kunsel pushed for elaboration.

"Chaos did not resist me from using its power last time in the final fight against Sephiroth, if anything it assisted me. From what I've gathered Jenova ruling the lifestream and using this planet as her vessel serves a demon little purpose."

Though that was a relief Zack started subconsciously pacing back and forth again.

"And what about Genesis and this 'war of the beasts' he's looking to start? Will Chaos be for or against that?"

"That I am not so sure-" Vincent began but was promptly interrupted by Kunsel.

"Against."

Both men focused the second class SOLDIER.

"In the Shinra mansion when that Nero guy turned up and he was drawing that red sphere out of you, Cissnei started speaking to someone. I couldn't hear it but it had to be Chaos and it sounded like it was persuading her to act, like it wanted her to intervene to stop Genesis."

"So Chaos is against both Sephiroth and Genesis? So this thing is on our side then?"

Vincent huffed with dry amusement and was quick in shooting down Zack's knowingly futile attempt at optimism.

"A demon is only ever on its own side."

"I figured as much. Well right now it can do whatever it wants as long as Cissnei remains unharmed and it doesn't try to interfere with rescuing Aerith- GAIA CAN THIS THING REALLY NOT GO ANY FASTER!?"

Zack kicked a heavy black boot into the ships bulkwark, a surge of distressed frustration rising up in him at the mere mention of his lost lovers name.

"Let's not get too confident about that" Kunsel calmly reasoned. "Just because Chaos didn't interfere last time, doesn't mean it won't this time. Which reminds me Zack, you seem to be taking this whole 'last time' business in your stride remarkably well. When I told you all Vincent was from the future you were the only one who didn't look like his head was about to explode, why is that?"

Kunsel hopped to his feet and Zack sighed at the two fighters holding him with questioning stares.

_Well, no point in keeping it a secret anymore._

"Because Vincent isn't the first person I've met who spoke about a different timeline. I can't explain how I did it but I met Cloud. The future Cloud. I think he's trapped in the lifestream and he helped me fight Jenova in another dimension."

"Quick question. Should I speak to a psychiatrist and be concerned that something that insane doesn't even surprise me anymore?" Kunsel shook his head painfully.

"He was strong" Zack continued. "Far stronger than me and strong enough that I can believe Vincent's story that he beat Sephiroth. Cloud tried warning me about Aerith's plan to go to the city but I didn't fully understand what he was telling me at the time. Then when Sephiroth showed up at the temple it all fell into place. I know that I was the supposed to be the one who died in those wastes outside of Midgar, not Cloud."

His words were more a declaration at Vincent and dark ruby tinted brown eyes flashed with subtle surprise.

"Sephiroth told you that himself?"

"More than told me, I saw it. In the temple I was shown my death like it was happening in front of my own eyes and I saw what he did to Aerith."

Zack's fists balled tightly at his sides, the roiling anger that had made him want to take Sephiroth's head inching its way back to the surface.

"That's why if we run into Sephiroth at the city I'm going to end this."

"That won't do you much good."

Zack flinched and though it was unjustified and out of character for him, he wanted to snap at Vincent for contradicting something he had his mind firmly set upon.

"Trust me, killing Sephiroth will do me a whole lot of good-"

"That is not Sephiroth. Or at least not him in the flesh. Killing him would be meaningless."

Kunsel and Zack checked one another for the others response and met with equal confusion.

"Not him? Then who have we been fighting this whole time?" the Claymore wielder frowned.

"The Sephiroth you have met is nothing more than a shell, a Jenova spawn manifesting itself in Sephiroth's image and channelling his consciousness."

"Woah… can she really do that?" Kunsel murmured.

Regrettably Zack knew the answer to that one.

"Yes, she can. Jenova made herself look like Jessie and made it seem like Sephiroth had killed her to trick me into entering the temple alone. That was only physical though, this is different. I know that was Sephiroth I was speaking to."

"Oh jeez this is giving me a migraine. So let me get this straight. It is Sephiroth but at the same time it isn't?"

Vincent shrugged at Kunsel's summary.

"I suppose. It is his mind and will but his body is elsewhere, hidden and protected in a far off location like before."

"And let me guess, it's a place that is incredibly difficult to get to and we'll likely die trying to get there?"

"It's possible" Vincent replied flatly.

Opting to lean his arms against the railing, Zack gazed out from the fast moving airship, the racing wind that was gradually getting colder whipping through his bangs.

"This place, it's not the northern crater by any chance?" Zack interjected.

He sensed the attention fall onto his back once again in this intense three way tennis match of revelations.

"How did you know?" Vincent's voice reached his ears.

"I didn't until just now, not fully. I saw shown the northern crater in the same vision or dream where I met Cloud, whatever you wanna call it. I felt something down there."

The black-haired Gongagan searched the bright blue horizon to the north where they were headed, the bracer on his wrist pulling towards the other bracer in his trouser pocket that had been found discarded at the bottom of a cliff. When he found it there it had stung him deeply, it was brutal confirmation that Aerith didn't want to be found.

If he had any room for it among the all-consuming need to have his soulmate returned to him he might have felt angry or betrayed.

Staring out into the endless expanse of forest stretching ahead the desperate question of 'where are you Aerith?' hung heavy on Zack's heart. Against all his efforts she was lost to him and worse than the despair he felt for that was the sinister darkness he could detect within himself waiting to burst free. He knew if he was too late in saving Aerith and the Masamune stole her life it would break him completely. It would be a loss he would not bounce back from, a despair he would never shake and the consequences of that kind of despair he knew better than anyone. He had seen it consume three of his closest friends.

Zack knew he was a man standing on the edge of destruction.

"Uh… Zack? You might wanna take a look at this."

Hearing his name the ex-SOLDIER who had completely zoned out was pulled back from his dark distracted thoughts and turned to find two heads angled skyward, facing away towards the south. Doing likewise the air making its way to Zack's lungs caught in his throat and his stomach knotted in a powerful rush of terror.

"That… doesn't look so good. Anyone mind telling me what this means exactly?" Kunsel asked gravely.

"It means Sephiroth has made it to the city" Vincent replied flatly to the sky.

Filled with anguish Zack took a couple of absent steps towards the grim phenomenon hanging in the air above them. Towards the menacing sphere of fiery burning rock that was just about visible in the sky that would no doubt send the rest of the world into hysteria.

"It means we're running out of time."

* * *

**Chapter 51 Part 4- Out of character**

Cold twenty-three year old sapphire eyes set in a twenty-year old face narrowed on the meteor staining the heavens and moved a hand promptly to his jacket. The call would undoubtedly come from Tseng any minute now, dispatching him to investigate this new development as a priority. It was regrettable, being assigned to observing Kunsel Haringer had been convenient for him on a personal level but the job came first.

_The job always came first._

The Turk reached in for his PHS until a distinct and intentionally made high-pitched grating sound, common to that of a weapon being drawn rapidly, reached his enhanced ears.

Volk paused and placed the hand claiming his phone down onto the hilt of the weapon at his hip calmly. Somehow he knew she would come to him like this. It was perhaps the first bit of clarity the assassin had ever experienced through the permanent cloud of fog enshrouding his mind.

Calmly turning from the rear balcony of the Highwind, Volk was met by the princess of Wutai stood resolute and strong with her four-point Shuriken gripped firmly in hand. Wordlessly the Turk copied her, drawing his chain katana 'Tsurara' in one graceful movement and together they advanced towards one another.

In the five seconds it took to take up positions the thoughts and feelings displayed on the petite features of his 'supposed pupils' face transitioned one after another in a numerous and complex blur. It was his job as a Turk to read emotions yet there were too many even for him to clearly pinpoint. Was it anger? Hate? Affection? Fear? Resentment? Love?

What did he mean to this girl?

Despite the volatile blend of emotions, Yuffie's attempt at maintaining a confident and challenging exterior was commendable with only a number of finer details giving her away as they took up positions. The way the iris' of shapely dark eyes wavered. The way the shade of her young determined face was paler than the rest of her softly tan complexion. The way her fist clenched tightly behind the confusingly familiar Wutain crafted guard shielding her left arm. The way knees on long-limbed slim legs exposed beneath cream coloured shorts shook lightly. Most telling of all was the way his ears could hear her heart beating in double-time.

While listen to its frantic rhythm it occurred to Volk that his pulse to had quickened. Yes, he most definitely knew this girl. The clear details of how were simply buried in the fog.

Stopping simultaneously around ten feet apart the slight female swallowed and then after some time, bowed with traditional Wutain grace, never making the mistake of taking her eyes off him precisely as he would expect from any pupil of his. Volk nodded respectfully in return and given her cue a fiery determination ignited in the young woman's eyes. A warrior maidens spark that he was not expecting in one so young bursting to life and with no further procrastination Yuffie lunged with a speed that required a great deal of dedication for a person without Mako to acquire.

Taking up his role as defender the ice-reaper parried the first mid-level strike away to forcefully disarm the Shuriken wielder on impact but Yuffie flowed cleverly with the attack instead of resisting it, twisting her body to reverse the momentum back onto him exactly as he would have done. In a loud clash that reverberated through the airships open hanger below deck, Tsurara brought the princess' weapon attacking him at neck height to an abrupt stop. Ice crystals formed along the forcefully struck katana and her fiery eyes connected with his somewhat surprised by the magic but the sixteen year old didn't allow it to distract her and moved straight into more swift agile attacks.

Blow after blow came at him in confident skilful succession. Overhand attacks, underhand attacks, leg-sweeps, blade-locks, uniquely co-ordinated slash attacks and no small measure of gymnastics, exploiting every technique that would work in a woman of her size and strengths favour against him. Yuffie danced around lithely, attacking at all angles while Volk held his position, reacting to every swing that came his way with a sensation he couldn't explain that was both pleasant and unpleasant at her impressive fast paced display. She was close to being faultless, her single biggest let down being that with each passing minute the Wutain's sparred her moves became more and more fuelled with passion.

The aggressive warrior façade was slipping.

Yuffie slashed upward, he leaned away crisply and her eyes filled with moisture. Stabbing in with one of the points of the Shuriken she invaded his defence but he had already sidestepped away and the growing river in her eyes pooled. His duel against the emotional ninja continued for many minutes, steel clashing against steel rhythmically, almost melodically and though she demonstrated skill beyond her years, something still told him she was holding back. He could sense far greater power in her, the advanced junctioned orbs in her weapon indicated clear materia proficiency and the occasional way her weapon glowed showed she was capable of limit breaks and far more advanced techniques. Yet Yuffie was using none of them, her movements were regimented and mechanical like she was duelling him thoughtlessly on autopilot. She seemed more focused on observing his response to her attacks then the attacks themselves and suddenly Volk felt like he was the one being tested here.

It was then through his pre-occupied thinking that Volk realised he too was fighting on auto-pilot, that her attacks were not random and he was no longer required to focus on them in order to react. This was a choreographed sequence of training techniques, one that somewhere deep in the most hidden recesses of his brain he knew the steps to.

Leaning back the agent avoided the vicious backhand swing of a tearful Yuffie's gauntleted arm and to prove to himself that he knew what would come next the agent discarded Tsurara to the floor, confident he would not need it. The shin kick came precisely as expected but before the females knee-length boot had a chance to strike Volk locked her foot to the floor with one polished black shoe and his hand caught Yuffie's wrist with perfect pre-empted timing at the start of a wide vertical slash.

With her attacks forced to a complete stop before she could attempt them, silence descended tensely between the pair. The restrained heavy-breathing princess mutely registered what he had done, then erupted in way that was difficult to discern between despair and elation. Dropping her weapon with a loud rolling clang Yuffie transitioned from attacking the man who had once been her entire world to throwing herself into his jacket and embracing him for all she was worth.

"You do remember me! I knew! I knew you did!"

Yuffie gripped her arms tighter around the man who had occupied her thoughts every day for three long years as if the tighter she held on the realer his existence she still found hard to believe would become. Showing affection and being affectionate did not come easy to Yuffie and a small alarm bell was ringing in her head that this was a Turk's suit her cheek was brushing against but she didn't care. He would never be a Turk to her.

"Why Lei!? Why did you leave me!?"

Strong hands laid unsurely onto her back, accepting her into the hold and Yuffie clenched her teeth. She was shaking, her head was a mess but she wouldn't cry. She refused to cry. She needed to prove to him how strong she had become.

"The bodies memory is not the same as the minds, you know this." His voice was exactly as she remembered, young despite being fairly deep with a commanding assertive edge oddly capable of being both comforting and authorative if it chose to be. "I don't remember you and I cannot tell you why I left. I'm sorry."

Over the last couple of months Yuffie had endured a lot, received more injuries than the rest of her daredevil, tree-climbing, combat training life combined but out of them all, that hurt the most. It was all she could do after pulling away from familiar arms to bow her head and force herself to silently nod.

_She was not going to cry._

"But what I do know is that you were special to me and I know if I were the same man your teacher was instead of the Turk you see before you today, I would be proud of you."

Chewed fingernails dug into the palms of clenched trembling fists which she used to hastily brush away a tear that absolutely did not fall with the back of her bright yellow combat glove. Anger reared its head within her and Yuffie clung to it like a lifeline. Anger was her safe haven, anger would help her deal with being cruelly reunited with a man she had long dreamed of finding only to discover he had forgotten her completely. No longer remembering they shared a lifetime of memories together.

The happiest memories of her life.

_She was not going to cry!_

"… y-y-you can't… you can't just say that… You can't just say that!" Yuffie bellowed the pain from her heart. "You can't just show up again and tell me you don't remember anything! You can't do that! You have to give me answers! You have to tell me why you left me and never said goodbye!"

Yuffie bowed her head again to hide her face. She was so close to losing control of her tears now that it was taking all of her willpower to hold it all back.

"... you have to tell me what I did wrong…"

"I have no answer for you princess-"

"YUFFIE! You always call me Yuffie! Never princess!"

The tall athletically built swordsmen held her damp gaze carefully for a stretch of time and then turned and joylessly walked away towards the balcony

"I am not the same man you once knew."

"Then who are you!?"

"A man with no name, no past and no honor. A spectre of a person I do not even know, that is what I am."

Hearing that the anger she wanted to hold onto deserted her to be replaced with something not as pitiful as sympathy but more a heartfelt sadness for how lost this shadow of a man she once- no still, deeply cared about sounded. She had no clue about why his memories were lost, the things he had been through, the hardships he had endured or even if leaving had been his own choice. His life could have been completely destroyed through no fault of his own and the thought of that was more harrowing than any grief his disappearance had caused her.

Slowly, after composing herself, Yuffie stepped her way over to join the man inspecting the world passing by the Highwind and standing in beside him she placed her hands on the rail of the balcony.

"… I'm sorry."

"Do not be sorry for past events that were out of your control. Only a fool blames themselves for things they could not have changed."

She smiled at that a little, that was the Lei she knew, always lecturing her with little philosophical one-liners, always teaching her more than simply how to swing a weapon. Once upon a time she used to blow raspberries at him when he did that, never imagining she would miss them so fiercely. Unable to look at anything but the man inspecting the horizon keenly, the now uncomfortably frigid wind trying to break the same tight male ponytail he always used to wear, Yuffie concluded he was exactly as she remembered him.

Except for the confusing thick streak of silver running through his hair and the sapphire eyes that is.

His eyes were never that color or that harsh and Yuffie silently mourned that hardness, that familiar Turk grit that screamed damage that could never be fixed. It dawned on the sixteen year old female in a moment of clarity that she had to accept that, accept that the suit meant something and although some of him may still exist, her Lei had changed as a person. The Lei who spent countless hours telling her stories of magic orbs, monsters, mythological summoned beings and adventure. The Lei who would help her sneak from the palace to play in the sun down by the ocean to her hearts content. The Lei who would never admit to being a naturally mischievous child's partner in crime in pulling of countless legendary pranks or the Lei who would reign her in when she went too far. She also had to accept that as much as she wanted to know the reasons he left it was not possible for him to tell her and no one carried the burden of that heavier than him.

That thought process surprised Yuffie, it was uncharacteristic of her to have such rational thinking.

"You've been training with a SOLDIER."

Her old mentor unexpectedly breaking the silence with that surprised her even more. Her mouth gaped open to ask how he knew.

"You're attacks have a new heavy-handedness you are still unfamiliar with and you show a typical SOLDIER mind-set to overpower your enemies. Yet you remain evasive and true to your primary art. A strange mix but effective, you would do well to continue with this new teacher-"

"I didn't want a new teacher!" Yuffie quickly jumped to her own defence for something she had endlessly tortured herself over being a betrayal. "After you left I didn't let anyone else teach me, for years. I never wanted anyone else to take your place but then Zack came along you see and he's like this great big loveable idiot…"

Twisting her fingers together anxiously against the rail in front Yuffie sighed and gave up, she was rambling.

"What I'm saying is it was a really big deal for me Lei... or Volk? I don't know which I'm supposed to use."

"You can call me whatever you want. Until today no other name existed to me."

"You probably want to hear some of the nicknames I have for the others before you agree to that" she whispered with a forced whimsicalness and was greeted with a small upturn at the corner of the blade masters mouth, his expression becoming less severe.

She decided to capitalise on it.

"Hey is that a bit of a smile I see going on there?"

"Is that a big deal?" Volk returned, facing her with his arms folded.

"Well it's more than most Turkey's I've met can do."

"You've met many of us?"

"About five or six" Yuffie replied, taking note of the 'of us' part of his sentence. "I'm guessing you really do see yourself as a Turk then huh?"

"I do."

"Even though you're here on this ship with us and know we're trying to save the world? Again apparently."

"I feel I owe you my honesty so let me be clear. I do not want my presence on this airship confuse you, I am not Cissnei, I am not joining you. My loyalty to the Turk's remains- what is so funny?" Volk frowned as Yuffie started chuckling softly.

"Nothing, just you haven't changed that much after all. You've always been that way, stupidly loyal. I reckon if you accidentally pledged your allegiance to a tribe of Cactuar you would remain faithful to them forevermore."

"Until I forgot the Cactuar ever existed" Volk made light of the situation, a dark joke which had an odd effect of making her feel more at ease. "Yuffie, may I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"If it does not grieve you to answer, how long have you known me?"

Getting cold, sensing her travel nausea setting back in and knowing this was not going to be easy question to answer, Yuffie left the balcony and Volk followed to stroll leisurely through the lower hanger together. If she hadn't already done so at least five times she would have pinched herself again to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"I was eight when we first met and thirteen when you... well, you know. So I guess five years. I know it doesn't sound much but at that age it felt like my whole life. You... were my whole life" Yuffie shyly admitted with a tinge of embarrassment.

"Eight" Volk mimicked thoughtfully. "How old was I?"

"When we first met? It was a bit of a secret but you'd just turned sixteen."

"A secret?"

The princess took a tentative grasp on the tip of her mentors fingertips to get him to stop and face her.

"You really don't remember anything do you? You were in the war Lei, or the last year of it at least. Your age was a secret because you joined at fifteen when you had to be seventeen to sign up. Loads of boys were faking their age to go fight but then you made a name for yourself. People started noticing you so you had to lie harder."

Volk still appeared to be a total blank which was surreal to say the least.

"You were practically a hero, you single-handedly held off two units of Shinra troops at the supply caverns near Narshe. Even though they say the war would have been lost if those caves had been taken they sent all the rookies there at first. I guess they never really expected Shinra to launch an attack but Sephiroth was always clever like that. After proving yourself big time they sent you to the front line, you were the youngest person ever to be sent that deep into battle and well, you did your thing. No one really knew where your skill came from but it became a popular belief that you were some kind of prodigy from the Settsu Genji clan."

"Settsu Genji clan?"

"Uh-huh. They were one of the last legendary warrior tribes Wutai ever had. You know, the 'keep-to-themselves' really old school samurai types. You became a bit famous for a while, they even say you crossed blades with Sephiroth."

"Hmph. Unlikely" Volk huffed nonchalantly.

"Well either way my dad and the war council encouraged the story to be pushed around. True or not, they didn't care. People were scared of Sephiroth and a story that a 'seventeen' year old kid was able to stand against the general himself was good for morale. That's how my dad got to know you and once that damned coward signed the treaty and the war was over you came to the palace as my mentor. Dad said if I was going to learn to fight then I was only going to be taught by the best."

The sixteen year old swiped her eyes with the back of her glove. She had begun welling up again but these were tears of happiness, it just felt so incredibly good to finally be able to talk about it all again. Then Yuffie clocked the swordsmen's disturbed appearance and her bittersweet grin faded.

"What's wrong? Did I say too much?"

"Yuffie I said I would be honest with you so I will."

"Ok. Yeah. Sure. Honest is good" she rambled nervously, far from believing her own words.

"From what you have told me, from the way you speak and the way you kissed me earlier I can see I still mean something to you." Yuffie didn't need a mirror to know her cheeks had turned pink. "And I confess I to was curious to seek you out. However I fear my presence here is destined only to bring you distress."

"Why? Because you're a Turk? We've teamed up with Turk's before. My friend Jessie even has this thing going on with a Turk" Yuffie urged, a swell of panic growing within her at where this was going. "And besides, Kunsel had to have seen a part of you that can or wants to help us, bright-eyes wouldn't have brought you here otherwise."

"Haringer brought me here because he knows what I am and that a fight is coming, one that I will be forced to participate in. He knows my mission is to observe him and he keeps me close simply because he wishes to discover which side I will be on when that fight comes."

The raven-haired princess was deeply confused by this point.

"Fight? If the Turks are planning a fight this is the first I've heard about it."

"I am not talking about the Turks Yuffie."

"Then what? What fight is coming that you'll be forced to join? I don't understand."

Without any further warning her old master suddenly grabbed the jacket of his suit, slipped the tailored black blazer off and discarded it to the floor. Strong warrior hands then proceeded to remove the sleek professional silk black tie and once that to had been removed he continued to undress, undoing the buttons of his white shirt one by one.

Yuffie quickly stepped away, her face rapidly heating up in the confusion of what the undeniably handsome man stripping in front of her was doing.

"… L-Lei?… wh-what?... what are you-"

"I am being honest with you."

With the top four buttons open Volk pulled down the neck of his shirt passed his shoulder and angled his back towards her, revealing exactly what it was he was talking about.

Yuffie fell silent, her heart constricting painfully as a small piece of the question of what he had been through and what torture lay ahead was answered with terrible effectiveness.

"Oh Lei..."

Reaching out the princess numbly brushed her fingertips across the sickeningly familiar mark branded on the back of his muscled shoulder. The twenty-three year old shivered under her touch as did Yuffie, chilled by the sight of the boldly printed 'XI' tattoo etched on his skin.

"I'm guessing you've heard of the reunion?"


	52. Regret and faith

* * *

**Chapter 52 Part 1- Regret and faith**

Elena had seen a great many things during her time in the field. A pack of winged creatures cloned from a company SOLDIER laying waste to a village in Banora. A raging herd of Behemoths literally appearing out of thin air over a special forces base on the eastern continent. A street urchin stumbling across an orb of red materia and freezing half a city sector solid after somehow summoning Shiva. A red lion creature called Red that could talk.

An ancient city hidden behind a mystical opening forest however had been a new one for the blonde.

Staying alert and proceeding with cautious strides, Elena gazed around the strange ethereally glowing place, the enormous groves of skeletal bone-white tress, the whispering wisp's of light dancing gently through their branches, the shell-white buildings built into ancient chalk cliffs. The scenery was nothing shy of a spell-binding fantasy and in spite of her wariness, Elena felt a great sense of awe and admiration for the place.

Which was more than could be said for the happy couple in front grinding roughly on her nerves.

"- then they started shooting at me so I had to make a run for it but somehow I ended up the on top of the Junon canon of all places. You wouldn't believe it Tseng, I thought I was going to die."

"SOLDIER do have a habbit of being somewhat trigger happy."

Elena fired an aggravated glare towards the pair trekking along leisurely shoulder to shoulder, both seeming to be more interested in the other than the tragically beautiful ruins around them.

"You're telling me. Luckily the Highwind arrived on time and I had to jump for it. That's when I met Cid."

"The rocket town pilot who stole three million gil of Shinra military equipment?"

"That's the one! He's kind of disgusting but really funny and sweet at the same time so everyone lets him get away with it. Most of the time anyway, Tifa sometimes gives him a good thump still but… I kinda think he likes it. Oh and Jessie who I told you about, she's going to join him on the airship someday as part of his crew. I've… truly made so many wonderful friends."

Unable to block out the sound of the irritating reunion going on in front of her, the female Turk picked up on the drop in Aerith's voice unlike Tseng which was unusual for the boss.

"Being so trusting as you are it's lucky these people did all turn out to be 'wonderful'" Tseng replied with a comical flatness.

"Oooh you're so cynical. Besides it's not luck, I simply like to think I'm an excellent judge of character" Aerith chimed, perking back up admirably and linking her arm onto Tseng's. "Which is precisely how I know you're not the scary mean grump with less emotion than a Tonberry that you pretend to be."

The Wutain gave the flower girl a sidelong glance with eyebrow raised, a discreet amused smile in place that made Elena's jaw clench.

"You are a good judge of character?"

"Well there's no need to say it like that. But yeah."

"If you would be so kind as to remind then what great judgement it was you deduced about that boy from your neighbourhood? The one you were convinced to be profoundly in love with who then pushed you over in the street when you attempted to make conversation?"

Aerith pulled to an abrupt surprised stop.

"W-what!? I was like ten, that doesn't count! Wait… how do you know about that?" Then something clicked and the brunette audibly gasped. "You're the reason he was scared of me! You did something to him!"

"… perhaps."

"Perhaps! He didn't speak or look at me again for FIVE years!"

Tseng smirked at Aerith's mock anger and lightly pulled the grinning woman's hand still on his forearm to keep them moving, looking incredibly at ease with her.

"Only five you say? Seems I'll be paying Mr. Almassy another visit."

In a complete juxtaposition to last night a tuneful laugh was made by the Cetra girl, content emerald eyes looking at the jesting man with adoration and joy.

In response Elena whispered a string of nasty comments under her breath, very much feeling like the forgotten third wheel in the party. Admittedly she had only herself to blame for the disposition, she had been blanking them at every opportunity, keeping her distance, even pretending to be vigilantly scouting the surrounding area every time one of them attempted to look back at her. It was pathetic really but there was something about the way Tseng's professional composure dropped around Aerith and the way he acted completely different in the brunettes presence that irked her. Darker still was the way being irked had led her to keep quiet about what the flower girls true intentions in the city were. It had been Elena's plan to tell Tseng straight away about her suspicions but after seeing them hugging together and hearing Tseng agree to break mission protocol to bring her here, when the time came Elena's mouth had stayed shut.

Aerith Gainsborough was a terrorist, an enemy, a problem she had once considered pushing off a cliff and one that would now disappear if she simply kept quiet.

It sounded simple that way but truth be told she was having a rare moral dilemma with the issue despite the fact she greatly disliked the woman.

_If only you hadn't allowed that insufferably nice bitch to heal you._

"Zoloms, shoot-outs, helicopter dog-fights. You've been on quite the excursion. I hope for both our sakes you do not intend on telling your mother about all this."

From where she was stood Elena was at the ideal angle to spot the flower girl tense and falter mid-stride at Tseng's words.

"Yeah. Mom will give us both such an earful" Aerith remarked, playing it off perfectly. Almost perfectly. "Tseng you'll always take care of her won't you? Make sure she's alright?"

"I suppose. Why?"

"No reason" the flower girl dismissed, linking her hands together behind her back and with quick spritely steps, twirled around into the Turk leaders path making them stop. "Now you have to wait here."

Elena flinched and Tseng folded his arms in front of the flower girl standing tiny at the towering entrance of a dense grove of more impossibly giant bleached tree's twisting outwards from the mouth of a mountainous grey canyon pass.

"That was not part of the agreement" Tseng stated firmly.

Keeping her distance at the rear and dropping her pack to the floor, Elena found she was secretly glad for Tseng's objection in allowing Aerith to go. It removed the ever-growing weight off her shoulders in having to tell him.

"I said I needed to pray silly." The kindness and sweetness radiating from the green-eyed girl was positively sickening.

"And that requires us to wait here why exactly?"

Long dolly brown curls and pink dress billowing in the strong wind being spat from the colossal gorge, Aerith hesitated in her reply.

"Umm.. well you see… don't take this the wrong way but… it's your blood. Human blood is tainted and… it will interfere with the purity of the magic. I know I have some of that same blood in me so there's a honest chance this won't work anyway, but it most definitely won't work if you and Elena come so you have to stay here."

The blonde Turk omitted an audible disdainful tut towards the cluster of strange and potentially dangerous dilapidated chalk buildings that stood thirty-five yards to their left across a small flowing river. She wasn't sure what to be more offended by, being told her blood was dirty or that the woman believed them stupid enough to believe such a poorly made-up …

"Very well, you have thirty minutes."

"Sir!"

The blonde spun around clumsily to her perfectly calm and serious boss in disbelief.

"Yes Elena?" Tseng returned, surprised to hear her speak at last and with such an unprofessional outburst.

"You can't! I mean… s-surely you're not going to let her go are you?"

Elena respected Tseng greatly, even prior to becoming a Turk herself she had acquired something of an interest in the head of administrative research. Something about the way he operated and directed his department had always inspired and fascinated her, resonated with her way of thinking. She had never had any reason to question the man's judgement before but not even Reno on one of his drunken benders would be stupid enough to believe that story.

"I see no reason not to" the smartly suited company man countered evenly with a sweeping glance about the place. "The area is secure, the terrain is easy to track and from here and our means of transportation remains easily accessible should we need it. Unless of course _you_ know of some reason that I should not grant Aerith this moment of privacy?"

The blonde martial artist floundered, her head screaming 'tell him'. One lingered glance at the target standing just off of Tseng's shoulder however, a discreet nervous shaky sigh escaping between the rosey pink lips of her pretty little mouth and Elena's response came out different.

"No … no sir, no reason."

"Then you have thirty minutes miss Gainsborough. If you are not back by then I will be coming to look for you, dirty blood or otherwise."

Whether it was for show or genuine, Aerith made a small humoured giggle and titled her head innocently to one side, regarding the Turk leader with an endearing bright smile.

Elena hated it when she did that.

"Thirty minutes is plenty. You know Tseng, you've changed."

"Hmph. Doubtful."

"You have. You're more at peace now, I can tell."

Tseng waved a dismissive hand as the girl tilted her face in the other direction.

"Getting old more like. I think your powers are-"

"It wasn't my powers that told me that" Aerith interrupted taking a step towards the Turk, her manner becoming more serious. "I've known you since I was seven, did you really think you were the only one doing any observing in that time? You've been with me nearly my whole life and ever since I've known you, you have been running. From yourself. From what happened to you. But now for the first time I think you're ready to accept your own feelings, to move on and Tseng… I'm so glad about that."

The Turk leader's expression was stuck being pulled three ways by perplexity, suspicion and concern.

"Aerith?"

Realising she was slipping and at risk of giving the game away the flower girl swiftly switched demeanours and stepped away again on her toes bouncily,

"But we can talk more about that when I get back. I've got some praying to do."

Uncomfortable with the ongoing exchange on more levels than she cared to witness, the blonde agent kept her eyes averted to the river carved into the side of the path she was agitatedly scuffing her shoe against. So the only heads up she got of being approached was the heavy crunching of brown boots against the rocky path and in reacting to it, Elena was mildly startled to find herself standing face to face with the brunette flower girl.

"What!?" The outburst escaped her before Aerith even had a chance to open her mouth. "If you're here to thank me again don't bother, I'm not interested."

All Elena got in response was the calm understanding smile of a woman somehow more at peace with the situation than she was. It disturbed the nineteen year old and made her do what she always did when she felt stressed or uncomfortable, talk too much.

Briefly checking that Tseng was still watching them quizzically from afar and out of whispering ear shot, she leaned in towards the brunette angrily.

"I don't want your thanks just like I didn't want your fucking healing, I don't want anything from you! I just did my job and not a damn thing else you hear!? None of this is on me. None of it! If you choose to go in there then that's your decision but you'll be the one hurting Tseng, not me! A-and who's to say I even know what you're planning to do!? You never told me anything so why would I be the one to blame if anything…"

"Elena." The close to breathless, blabbering assassin fell silent. "Life is too short and precious a thing to keep bits of your heart locked away. Tell him how you feel."

A light alarmed gasp slipped her lips and rendered incapacitated by those words, Elena speechlessly blinked at the knowing glint in the older woman's eyes before Aerith walked away without another word.

"What was that about?" Tseng's carrying voice reached a dumbfound Elena's ears from afar who looked over to the man sharply, exacerbating the butterflies in her abdomen.

"Just girl stuff, nothing to be scared about." The head Turk pulled a face at the woman that said otherwise. "Well, I guess I best be off then."

"Wise. And do try to avoid getting lost. I'd sincerely like to avoid having to search for you in this terrain at night."

After a light nod and a lingering stare the flower girl set off for the windy gorge. Aerith made it ten steps before she paused, rushed back over to her lifelong guardian and hopping onto tips toes, placed a long firm kiss to the Wutain's cheeks before rushing away again.

Tseng's hand shifted to the touched area mutely, a disorientation that lasted momentarily until he called after the flower girl.

"Remember, you have thirty minutes-"

"-and then you'll come chasing after me. Just like old times right?" Aerith shone the warmest of nostalgic smiles one last time over her shoulder and then ducked her way into the blustery gorge.

Having not moved from the same spot, her heart still racing in her chest, Elena's hand briefly went up after the leaving woman and her mouth parted to speak.

Never did the blonde agent expect that failing to form words at that moment would go on to become one of her life's biggest regrets.

* * *

**Chapter 52 Part 2- Regret and faith**

Garbed in her typical combat attire of sky-silver pauldrons and breastplate, tech-goggles positioned in tandem with the crimson bandana at her fringe and electro-mag rod strapped alongside a fully stocked grenade belt encircling her hips, Jessie peered around the chaotic deck of the Highwind helplessly. Everyone was hurrying about making final preparations. From checking equipment and sharpening weapons, to stretching and limbering up joints. All focused aggressively on the task ahead.

Everyone that is, except her.

Jessie had already checked and re-checked her arsenal of grenades ranging from incendiary to EMP and flash bang thrice over and there was hardly any need for her to stretch more than she already had. It wasn't as if she would be doing backflips and suplexing enemies into the ground anytime soon like Tifa.

Now the red-head watched on while her friends rushed around with purpose, feeling out of place and being starkly reminded that unlike the rest of them, she was no trained fighter.

"Vincent reckons he knows where the harp is, me and Red will rendeasvous at Bone village with him to retrieve it while you take the others and secure the forest."

Hearing Kunsel's words the redhead turned to offer the services of her ground density scanner in locating the key to the ancient city but backed down when she saw who it was Kunsel was marching alongside and deep in conversation with. Zack's temperament of late unnerved her. Made her feel hesitant and kinda even scared to approach him. It was something terrible that Jessie never thought she would feel towards the kind Gongagan she usually shared such a light-hearted friendship with. The comfort she took was that at least it would only last until they got Aerith back but for now the red-head had resigned herself to the truth that Zack was last person who needed her blabbering and getting in his way.

_"ETA in fifteen girlies. Seems claw fella' was right 'bout the barrier keepin' us from flying all the way in so if things get bumpy, hold on tight, keep the shit IN your pants an' OFF my ship!"_

That was it! Maybe Cid could use her help?

"Pardon me!"

Having stepped back on her heel, Jessie had a scare when Red came whizzing passed, narrowly avoiding her as she unintentionally obstructed his path.

"Ah! Sorry!"

She insinctively jumped back a couple feet in the other direction just for her back to bump roughly into the solid wall of a passing by Barret Wallace's wide frame, sending the bullet chain he was ferrying over one shoulder slinking to the floor.

"Sorry I'm sorry!"

"Hey no problem darl', take it easy I got it. Is my bad, shoulda' bin watchin' where I was goin'" Barret mind-bogglingly assured, calmly picking up the clip himself and clomping away with implausible amicability.

_That was weird…_

Not waiting around to get in anyone else's way or to try to figure out what _that_ just was, the eighteen year-old engineer hurried her way along to the cabin door at the end of the Highwind. Unexpectedly she found her best friend stretching in a relatively clear space just outside the door and from her position in the deepest side lunge known to man, Tifa's focused expression cracked lightly upon the red-head's arrival.

"Don't stop, I'm just passing through. I'm not here to get in your way as well."

"Jessie?" the barmaid was quick in pulling her up before she could hurry below deck, giving her little option but to stop. "As well?"

"It's nothing,"

"You know I know that's not true. Come on you know the rules, no going into fights-"

"-with things on your mind, yeah I know."

"So what's up?"

"… fine" Jessie conceded with a sigh, planting a boot and her back against the door frame to lean as the supple dark brunette switched legs. "I'm just having one of those moments where I'm looking around at everyone and realizing I'm not as good as you guys, not by a longshot. And I know what you're going to say, you're gonna tell me I've 'learned a lot' and I'm 'doing really well'-"

"-because it's true. You've come the furthest in training out of everyone here." Tifa dropped into sitting toe touches. Toe touches and ankle stretches that were very close to being compromising in a black leather mini-skirt.

"Thanks but coming 'the furthest' is hardly going to help save Aerith is it? I don't think enemies much care if I'm stronger then I was a couple months ago if I still can't handle a pack of Fangs by myself."

"Jessie we're all getting stronger and that's nothing to be ashamed of. I know I have. I also know I've got a lot further to go."

She rolled her eyes with an 'oh please' kind of expression.

"Teef, I've seen you punch an iron giant in the head."

"That? That was nothing special. It was slow and had its sword buried in the ground."

"I don't think you're getting my point."

Tifa ceased stretching momentarily, shifting up onto her knees to fix the red-head with her attention.

"No I understand your point exactly, if only you knew how much so. I understand because I said the exact same thing when I was starting out and you know what my master told me? He told me that 'true strength is not always big fiery flame for all to see, sometimes it is just a tiny spark that whispers ever so softly, you got this, keep going'. I've seen you be that spark in some of our darkest times to pick Zack up, Barret, Yuffie, yourself. You've picked me up more times than I can count so I'd say that makes you the strongest of all of us."

Jessie was never much of a person for life quotes or well-meaning rhetoric, yet the words had resounded on her.

"Really?"

"Really. That day you showed up three years ago with those horrible cuts and bruises all over you, I didn't hug you in that moment and take you in because you needed it. And I didn't look after Marlene like she my own because I didn't think Barret was capable. Or cook for Biggs and Wedge and force them to the dinner table because I cared about plates being left in the bedroom. I did it because I needed it. I needed all of that, to feel a part of something again. I needed you Jessie. You were my tiny spark and if you hadn't of come along, no amount of iron giant's would be getting punched in the head."

Stood straight and unmoving Jessie was at a loss for what to say.

"Of course after telling me that master Zangan threw me so far across the training room floor that I missed the mat completely and was winded for almost an hour. He said I'd remember it that way."

Jessie recoiled as the barmaid mimicked getting up towards her.

"No! No I got it! I'll remember" Jessie chuckled lightly. "Thanks Teef, that was… surprisingly what I needed."

"Don't mention it" was Tifa's the warm kindly reply back, continuing once again with her yoga-like routine by laying onto her front and stretching her legs out.

Proceeding with incredible flexibility and physical control the brawler reached back, taking a hold of her plated black trainers, causing her simple white crop top ride up a few inches. It was enough to give a small but revealing glimpse of the underside of the drastically arched woman's generous bust and her skirt to was also on the cusp of giving away more than intended.

"Umm Tifa… your clothes."

Easing slowly from her deep stretch her best friend looked down at her attire innocently.

"My clothes? What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Nothing normally, when you're not folded like a pretzel but uh, don't you usually warm up in your room? Why are you doing it out here?"

One minuscule accidental flick of Tifa's gaze gave Jessie the answer.

"Ahhh, that" the red-head hummed, spotting the two Wutain's for the first time in sneaky direct view on the far-side of the ship. "You know you said you wouldn't be judgemental of Turks anymore right?"

"I'm not being judgemental!... well… not really… but Jessie look at them! Your telling me HE'S a Turk?"

Looking down the length of the ship once more the tech-fanatic couldn't help but agree that what she was seeing was uncanny. The immaculately suited Volk and liberally as always dressed Yuffie stood opposite one another, both ninjas balancing with one leg on a thin metal rail like cranes, weapons teetering upright in the flats of their palm.

_"You're looking a bit wobbly their Lei, Iiiiiii think you're losing your touch."_

_"Mind games? Impressive. For an amateur."_

_"AN AMAT-!"_

_"Steady now? That was quite the slip."_

_"No it wasn't! You're totally losing this."_

_"The trembling in your left calve says otherwise."_

_"No it doesn't!"_

"See what I mean? That Volk guy is acting like a completely different person then when he first arrived!" Tifa implored with confused frustration. "And Yuffie, how can she be so at ease with him like that after all those years? After he abandoned her?"

"I know, I struggle to get my head around it myself but I guess that's just how Yuffie is. Or at least, that's her way of coping with things."

"You think?"

"Sure. I mean take Aerith for example, here we are racing to save her but looking at Yuffie now you would never know she was taking Aerith leaving so hard. But she is."

"I know. I know she is" Tifa stood up gracefully with a sigh. "I suppose I'll never fully understand how Yuffie does it. But it can't hurt to try right?"

"Right." Jessie returned her friends effort to smile. "And on that positive note, I'm gonna see if I can help Cid with landing this thing."

With expert gymnastics and a light "good-luck", Tifa continued with her routine and the rare luxury to actually prepare for a fight for once. Tumbling forward and planting hands on the deck she lifted off into a perfect hand stand with ease and then slowly curved her body towards the floor creating another strong arch in her back. The difference this time was a deep resounding crack escaped from between the martial artists shoulder blades that made Jessie shudder.

"Ahhhh there it is" Tifa hummed pleasurably.

"That… was gross."

"Grossly amazing."

"YOU'RE GOING TO GET ARTHARITIS" Jessie called back with a chuckle, entering the cabin door to descend the steps that lead from the upper deck.

Heart feeling considerably lighter and more optimistic she set a path for the main flight deck, grenades tinkering in their harnesses around her hips as she went. Everything was going to work out fine, she would help Cid land the Highwind, they'd grab the harp, enter the city through the sleeping forest and most likely be there before Aerith ever even arrived. Especially since the flower-girl had no easy means to fly or travel across the ocean.

_"Nnnggahhh"_

Due to the deep rumbling hum of the ships engine and the distant whirr of propellers being a permanent reverberating tune throughout the Highwind, Jessie wasn't sure she had heard correctly when a bizzare groaning noise drew her attention off towards the sleeping quarters corridor.

_"Urrrr-arrrgh!"_

Hearing it again her feet diverted from their intended path, approaching with growing uncertainty the more her inkling grew on what or more precisely 'who' it was that was making that noise. As Jessie made it closer to the newly offered out room at the end of the hall, the sharp hissing of a person in pain permeated her ears louder and more distinct, leaving no doubt who it was.

_"ARRGHHHH!"_

Quickly the instinctive concern she felt for another individual superseded any fabricated fears that she might have her blood drank and the eighteen year old rushed to push the ajar door open. Pale brown eyes bugged down at the man collapsed on all fours in the middle of the room, hand clutched to the centre of his chest, grit teeth biting through angry muffled grunts of pain.

"H-hey! Are y-you alright!?"

The tall and menacing cloaked gunman was on his feet instantly, halting her advance to help him up with any and all trace of agony gone from his features in a way Jessie had never seen before. It was scarily remarkable, like a switch had been flicked with only a hint of perspiration around the bangs of his incredibly silky jet black hair giving away any sign something had been wrong with him.

"Fine" Vincent replied shortly after some time, dark maroon tinted eyes fixed on her coldly and with what was either suspicion or well disguised embarrassment.

It also did not escape her notice that the man was standing on a slant to keep his claw arm hidden from view on the inside of his cloak.

"… a-are you sure? I'm not a doctor but if you're injured I can take a look-"

"I'm fine."

"Oh… ok."

There was no way she was going to push the scary stranger any further and leaving at that point would undoubtedly be the wisest option. Yet how could she? With the impossible things Vincent Valentine had told them earlier playing on her mind constantly. It was playing on everyone's mind, only the situation with Aerith was postponing them all from addressing the matter in more depth.

"Mr Valentine-" Jessie began, turning back into the room last minute.

"Vincent."

"… Vincent. Can I ask you a question?"

The pale sharp-featured ex-Turk regarded her for some time before breaking from his stiff statuesque pose to gracefully sweep over to the single bed in the room.

"Go ahead" Cissnei's only supposed living relative permitted as he began fumbling with the black leather straps of a very old school looking gun-belt that was neatly laid out on the covers.

"Ok uh, thanks." Jessie daringly ventured two more steps into the room. "Back when you were telling everyone things you knew about them, I've been wondering, why was I the only one you said nothing about?"

"Because by the time I awoke the first time, you were dead."

Jessie's lungs tightened, she had speculated that possibility yet she didn't actually expect to hear it or for the answer to be given so bluntly.

"I… died?"

"Crushed when the sector seven pillar collapsed in Midgar. So Marlene once told me."

"You know Marlene!?" Vincent tensed as if telling her had been a mistake but made no reply to Jessie's outburst, silently strapping the gun holdall around his narrow waist with his back remaining turned. "… you really are from another time aren't you?"

"Would it make a difference if I said yes?

"Yes."

"Then yes."

In truly believing him at last, Jessie's head turned to mush.

"I... I don't understand how this is possible. I don't understand any of it. You say I died because the sector seven plate collapsed, but it didn't. Shinra sent the army in, they shot everyone, it's not the same!"

"Evidently something changed. Hence our speaking together."

"Care to tell me what? Because I'm really struggling with this one Vincent." Her head scrambled Jessie crossed the room and grabbed the belt she had been watching the gunman struggle to fasten for some time with his only functional arm. She strapped the leather cord tight and shrugged when he rotated to stare down at her perplexed by the action. "You can't be a bad guy if Marlene spoke to you."

He nodded, or perhaps he nodded, it was so subtle it was hard to tell.

"So? Any ideas?" Jessie pressed, stood face to face with Vincent in the middle of the room. "Something pretty big must have changed if it means I'm still alive."

"Indeed. Tell me, how is it you first came to meet Kunsel Haringer?"

"Well…" Jessie frowned at the seemingly random question. "It was at the Shinra building, he helped us escape because he's been friends with Zack since they were SOLDIER's together."

"And why were you there? Why did SOLDIER kill the people of sector seven?"

"… because of us… because we destroyed the Shinra News Network."

"Why the network?"

"Well it was Cissnei's idea, we were going to blow one of the reactors but then she showed up and offered-"

"-and why did Cissnei 'show up'?"

"Because she wanted to help…" Jessie paused "... Zack."

"And why weren't you there when SOLDIER attacked sector seven?"

It had already clicked for the red-head but she answered regardless.

"Because Zack let me go with him to Rufus Shinra's mansion… I'm alive because of him... Kunsel, Cissnei, the network… It's all been because of him."

"The difference one life can make."

The pair fell briefly into silent contemplation.

"This is… you know I always imagined time travel and parallel universes would be a lot more fun than this… guess that's just the movies?" When no reply came Jessie checked to see the gunman staring into thin air intently. "Vincent?"

Alarmingly the gunman's gaze snapped onto her violently and in a genuine moment of terror he suddenly lunged towards her making her yelp. Next thing Jessie knew she was thrown to the floor under Vincent's body and a skull rattling blast shook the room as a surge of fiery heat erupted into the cabin.

"WHAT WAS-!?"

_"SHIVA'S FUCKIN' TITS! WE GOT COMPANY!"_

Rolling off her, his cloak smouldering, Vincent athletically vaulted to his feet giving the engineer an eye widening view of an obliterated room. Flames roared, shrapnel and debris littered what remained of the floor and beyond that clear open skies rushed terrifyingly by, filling the decimated cabin with a torrent of lashing hot and cold winds.

"THAT-THAT WASN'T A BOMB! WHAT WAS THAT!?"

"Let's go."

Wrist snatched in an iron grip Jessie's body was plucked off the floor and pulled from the room like a rag-doll. Ears ringing, brain in shock, her disoriented feet staggered along wildly to keep up and then buckled completely when another explosion caused the entire ship to jerk again, throwing her into the corridor wall.

"He is trying to stall us. Come, on your feet" Vincent ordered impatiently.

"I'M TRYING! WHO'S HE?"

Golden boot smashing into steel, Vincent kicked his way through the door onto the deck of the Highwind and being let go of Jessie was dumped to the floor unceremoniously.

"Calls himself Genesis."

"Jessie!" Springing to the girl on her knee's side, Red was a welcome sight indeed. "Are you injured!?"

Jessie checked down the front of her body. Black ashy smears covered her clothes, stomach and arms and a thin trickle of blood down her bicep from a mild nick in her arm she hadn't noticed until now.

"I-I think I'm alright."

"We are descending from the sky!" A strong flexion of panic laced Red's voice as he helped nudge Jessie to her feet.

Together they ran their way over to join Vincent at the starboard side of the tremoring airship and leaning over the ledge, machine-smart eyes analysed the damage to the Highwind rapidly losing altitude and the points it had been struck.

"It's Cid, he's lost control of the ship. At this rate we'll be landing miles from the digsite!"

"Then we jump."

Vincent's smooth ivory hand appeared down in front of her face. Jessie ogled it, then transitioned up in disbelief at the gunman now standing on the ledge of the ship, ragged crimson cloak billowing in the wind.

"I feared it would come to this" Red whimpered fearfully.

"JUMP!?" Jessie yipped. "Are you mad!? We're still almost two hundred feet from the floor!"

"Then stay."

"Wait!" She snatched the withdrawing hand and used it to pull herself up onto the rail. "I didn't… I didn't say that. I'm not leaving Aerith!... I… I just need to get my head around this is all."

Making the mistake of looking down again Jessie emitted a small panicked sob.

"You may want to remove that."

Taking Vincent's advice the woman on the borderline of freaking out detached the grenade belt and discarded it to the floor. "So you've done this before right!?"

"Yes."

"Ok… I believe you… we can do this. We just need to stay calm." With a sudden powerful roar the sleek form of Red went soaring clean over the edge of the Highwind. "OHHH I'M GOING TO DIE! WITH A STRANGER! I'M GOING TO DIE! FUCK FUCK FUCK!"

"You really could just stay-"

"NO!" Jessie turned to face the ex-Turk square on and seized the sides of his armoured black leather vest. "You're not lying to me!? You've definitely done this before right!?"

"Yes."

"Then go!"

Long arms linked around her waist awkwardly, the icy contact of Vincent's golden metal claw on her bare hip making the teenagers breath hitch. Keeping her eyes welded shut she felt the man's weight tip towards the long drop causing her stomach to lurch.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT! Just… tell me exactly what it is that's going to be keep us from dying here!?"

Vincent's hand left her waist to tap the very centre of his chest and she could have sworn she caught a glimpse of a smirk on his lips.

"Proto-materia."

"Proto-materia. Right. And uhh… remind me how that works again?"

Vincent simply rolled his eyes, grabbed her close and leaned without stopping this time.

"Wait! WAIT! WAIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTT!"

Gravity mercilessly ripped them from the safety of the airship, her heart rocketed into her throat and the world span in horrifying blurs of sky-blue and forest-green. Five painful seconds of terror passed and though she couldn't hear herself over the roar of eye-watering rushing wind, Jessie knew she was screaming the entire way. Awaiting an imminent and gruesome death to take her, she clung to the gunman for dear life until a propulsion launched her away in a different direction last minute. Wind, leaves and sticks whipped her helpless limbs in flight and then with a thud her hip bone and shoulder met floor. Falling transitioned into uncontrollable rolling across solid ground, hitting various mounds and obstacles along the way until she skidded to a stop face down in leafy smelling forest floor.

Buried under a curtain of her own hair Jessie laid panting for air, bewildered and horrified but indescribably relieved to still be alive.

"You made it!"

"… that… was the... worst… experience of my… life" her voice shakily croaked as the back of her crop-top was bit between powerful jaws and she was pulled into a limp upright kneeling position by a quick to arrive Red.

"I found it rather exhilarating."

Her nerves shot to pieces Jessie looked skyward to catch a glimpse of the flaming Highwind just in time before it coasted out of view behind the tree-line.

"Cid… is going… to be so pissed. Th-think the others made it off to?"

"With Zack, Kunsel and that Turk possessing enhancements, I believe so."

"The village is this way, let's go." Vincent appeared in sight, covered from head to toe in more foliage then the surrounding forest shrubbery.

"Wait" Jessie groaned, climbing achily to her feet with Red's assistance. "I thought the plan was you would both be going with Kunsel."

"Plans change. We do not have time to wait for him, you're coming with us."

Filled with both trepidation and determination at attaining such an important task as helping them retrieve the harp, Jessie sucked it up and steeled herself. The teenagers feet stumbled into a quick jog alongside Red while sticking close to Vincent's heels. That's why she nearly bumped straight into the gunman when no more than ten seconds later he came to an abrupt stop.

"Huh? I've got a compass here if you're-"

An easily half-tonne projectile of tree in forceful flight careened across the path they were about to walk into, disappearing into the canopy to their left in a crash of splintering wood and mangled vegetation. Head swivelling right the girl reaching for her compass gawked and her mouth dropped open between Red and Vincent taking up fighting positions either side of her.

"Did… he just throw a tree?"

The biggest brute of a man Jessie had ever seen in her life with glowing blue tattoo's on his face grinned smugly back and from behind him stepped a woman, scantily dressed in blood red armor and wielding a chilling double sided scimitar.

"If that impresses you darling. Wait until you see what I can do."

* * *

**Chapter 52 Part 3- Regret and faith**

"Elena, if you are angry with me, tell me."

Sat fidgeting on the small boulder Tseng had asked her to sit beside him on, Elena's defences weakened further when the ten minutes of silence that had hung in the air since Aerith's departure was finally broken. With her deceit in not telling Tseng about the girl and Aerith's utterly preposterous idea that she should tell her boss how she felt ringing in her ears, it was all becoming too much for her to handle.

"No sir! Of course not."

"You do not need to lie." Tseng waved a hand at her formality. "We both know I have broken protocol and dragged you into a mess. The mission is over as is your obligation to it. You can tell me exactly what you think of me, as equals."

The tiredness in the head Turks eyes staring down between his feet, the solemn regret, the uncertainty, it was something Elena had never seen before and gave an unpleasant stabbing sensation to her chest.

"I'm not angry with you" she repeated with greater conviction.

A short nod of his head and they were back to sitting in silence again. Elena clawed for words to say and what to do but in the end her courage failed to execute all of the things she came up with.

"Legends dead." The sudden and completely out of nowhere news nearly made the slight blonde jump to her feet. "I had planned to wait until we had returned to Junon to tell you."

"Dead! How!? Who did it!?"

"We don't know yet."

"Don't know yet!? What's Shotgun say!? She's got to have some idea!" Elena spat, hovering on the edge of her rock with genuine fury in her tone.

"Nothing. Shotgun has not reported in for two days, she's gone off the radar."

"Then she damn well needs to get back on it!" Elena made to reach for her PHS but Tseng's hand on her forearm and a mournful yet proud smile on his tanned face made her stop. "Sir?"

"Tiz is on the case. Elena, I want to ask you something. Why are you angry?"

"… I don't understand, why wouldn't I be?" she replied, fighting not to blush from the contact.

"I'm simply curious. How many times have you actually met Legend?"

"Tw-twice? Twice sir."

"And speaking honestly, what did you think of him?"

The martial artist swallowed her hesitation and nodded.

"I thought he was cocky and arrogant, a bigger narcissist than Reno and I was praying that I wouldn't get partnered with him."

"So it's fair to say you barely knew him and from what you did know, you didn't like. So I ask again, why are you so angry that he's dead?"

A lump formed in her throat as dark intelligent eyes waited patiently for her answer.

"… because… he was one of us sir."

There it was again, the mournful yet proud smile.

"You'll be a great Turk one day Elena."

She sat upright eagerly.

"I want to be sir! Tell me how and I'll do it , whatever it takes."

"You want my advice?"

"More than anything sir."

"Then as your boss and a fellow Turk I would tell you to harden your resolve, cut away the remaining empathy that I can see still burdens you and causes you to hesitate. Learn to control your often loose tongue and suppress your hot-headed tendencies."

Tseng sighed and she bowed her head to the vital hard truths. The flaws she had long known were holding her back.

"… but as a man who admires you greatly I would ask you to do none of those things. I would ask you stay just as passionate and strong as you are now. To keep talking too much when you're nervous… never stop talking too much. You are a wonderful woman Elena and my advice is that you never listen to my advice. Never let that woman who blushed when she got flowers go. Please do not allow me to kill her."

The impossibly handsome man's face had turned into a watery blur and though the overcome blonde tried to look away and brush her eyes clear with the back of her hand, she only managed to do the latter. No one had ever said anything so beautiful to her before.

" Tseng..." A pleased gleam crossed his expression at her finally using his name. _She couldn't do this! She couldn't do this anymore!_ "… what you just said… I can't tell you what that means to me… but I don't deserve it. There's something I have to tell you. It's about Aerith..."

Whether it was comical timing or cruel fate, three rounds of revolver gunfire echoed in the distance.

"She's in trouble!" Elena frenzied although it was pointless ,they were already up and racing into the canyon at a sprint with guns drawn.

"How many are there!? Is it Sephiroth!?"

I don't know! She never told me-"

"ELENA!"

Spotting the figure descending upon them from the canyon wall a split-second sooner than her, Tseng shoved them apart and four quick fire shots were expertly unleashed at the attacker who slammed their weapons into the ground between them with deadly intent. The assailants arms moved in a whirlwind of blurred red light and hissing twangs, the bullets being slashed and burned from the air. Elena's battle instincts kicked in instantaneously and following up Tseng's attack the martial artist ran in and took flight, aiming a crippling dragon kick for the enemies small centre of gravity. Her leg lashed into its marked area but connected into the forearms of a raised guard, managing only to send the target skidding backwards.

It wasn't a KO but it was enough to gain them some distance to evaluate their ambusher. A dainty girl of no more than nine or ten with shoulder length brown hair, dressed in full body blue and white combat leathers, wielding duel laser rods wired to her armour in each hand.

"I'll handle this."

"Elena-"

The female Turk placed her hand up before taking two steps closer towards the almost robotic looking emotionless girl and reached into her suit jackets inner pocket to slide out a pair of gunmetal grey kevlar gloves.

"Please sir, go, there isn't time. Trust me to do this."

Sensing Tseng's hesitation at her back was nice.

"Don't lose."

"I won't" she declared resolutely as he left, slipping on the final glove.

_And Tseng, if it's too late… I'm sorry._

* * *

**Chapter 52 Part 4- Regret and faith**

Never did the flower girl from the slums imagine that the sound of fighting, of swords clashing and bullets cracking, would bring such joy and contentment to her heart. Here in her very last moments of life her friends were with her, fighting for her, returning the immeasurable love she felt for each of them that was now at the forefront of her mind. Fear was gone, doubt and regret washed away. Even the heart breaking despair for her beloved soulmate was but a speck against the mass of truly precious memories with Zack filling her thoughts and how blessed she had been to have walked beside him once more.

That was the prayer of the Ancients. Not some grand complexity of prophetic words spoken in some ancient dialect like she had anticipated. Just the unconditional outpour of the love she felt for those dear to her was all that was needed to awaken the small orb in her hands.

Knelt on the platform overlooking the serene lake from her dream, her mother's singing materia clasped in her hand, Aerith gladly summoned the power of holy. Her gift to the world.

Now with only one part of the ritual remaining, the brunette closed her eyes and waited for the calamity's son to descend. She had known he was there the whole time, never had her powers been sharper or her senses more in-tune with the planet and Sephiroth's pain, his anger, his despair, it floated above her like a malignant black cloud.

Aerith's spirit reached out to him, prayed whole-heartedly for his salvation and in feeling it the silver general recoiled like a burnt child.

And then the darkness descended…

Disturbed air rushed overhead.

The billowing tails of a long coat flapped on the wind.

Fear of pain threatened to loom its head but Aerith killed it with the memory of being sat around her mother's kitchen table in Kalm, all her friends together, her hand entwined with Zack's beneath the table.

And then it happened…

A hand was planted into her shoulder and she was thrown forcefully down onto the rough stone surface.

"Oof!"

"Ugh"

"NOOO!"

With her shriek Aerith Gainsborough felt her heart break, the sight of Tseng impaled in her place through the front of his stomach by the Masamune excruciating and more terrible than any physical pain that could have been inflicted on her. Horrified was not a strong enough word to describe the flower girls reaction to watching the seven foot katana being drawn back out from the man who had thrown her from harm's way. Or fury for the way her body trembled under the raw power that rallied through her veins when Sephiroth's venomous cat green eyes flickered with bored delight upon realisation at what had happened.

"… Aerith … run…."

Each word and every attempt to breath by the head-Turk laying back down in a quickly formed pool of his own blood burned mercilessly. His plea ragged and desperate to the shaking brunette refusing to move as Sephiroth stalked his way towards her, her lowered face hidden behind a veil of curls.

"Mmm? And what is this?" Reaching down the one-winged angel plucked the small white orb that was laying discarded on the ground. "Curious, so this was your little secret. I confess I missed this last time."

 _"I was wrong, you are too evil."_ Whether it was his senses fading, Aerith's hate filled whisper sounded unearthly.

"To think a piece of materia was the reason for my undoing. You have done me a favour for once Tseng."

_"You were only supposed to kill me."_

"Do not fret daughter of Gaia. I will still grant you your fate." Sephiroth pounced and viciously swung his blade for Aerith's neck.

Tseng's hazy vision drowned in a burst of emerald light, raw indescribable energy erupting from the flower girl sending the masamune spiralling away into the lake in a chorus of singing metal. The Cetra girls fury shook the ancient city, her eyes, skin and hair ablaze in the green efflorescence of the lifestream, shimmering like living fire across her body.

"… Aeri-…."

"… impossible."

She erupted once more the brunt of the power hitting the one-winged angel with full force and a light so fierce it robbed Tseng of consciousness.

"YOU WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO KILL ME!"

* * *

**Chapter 52 Part 5- Regret and faith**

"It'll be fun. Can we go Tseng? Pleaseee."

"… go where?"

Placing her hand on her hip the bright-eyed brunette gave him 'the look'. Only nine years old and Aerith already had a look.

"Weren't you listening silly? Let's explore the attic!"

"You haven't been already?"

"Nope, mom said it was the one part of the church I wasn't allowed to play in."

Tseng fought back a grin as he folded his arms in front of the sweet playful girl.

"And you thought you'd try and make me your partner in crime?"

"Nuh-uh, I asked and mom said I could as long as you were with me and I did eeeeverything you told me."

"Hmm.

"Pleasssssse Tseng" the child pleaded excitedly, grabbing his hand to try and pull him from the room.

"Please Tseng" she repeated, pulling harder.

Please Tseng."

"Please Tensg."

Air rushed into fluid choked lungs, the broken company man gasping back into pain-filled, blood-soaked reality.

"Please Tseng! Please!"

Dimming eyes opened onto the beautiful grown woman kneeling over him in the grey crumbling city and his soul smiled to see Aerith's hands glowing an exhausted dull green over his midrift even if his face didn't register the emotion.

"Please heal! Please…" It took all his strength to tell the woman with nothing left to stop by placing his stained hand on hers and from it the trembling girls eyes squeezed shut in despair. "… please… I don't want you to go."

Aerith's fuzzy voice was a sob, her blurring face running with tears. At least she could still shed them, so he had to have got one thing in life right.

Aerith, the one thing he was truly proud of.

He tried his voice to tell her, to explain how his seemingly muddled actions had never been intended to hurt her. But now, ironically, as he finally decided to pull his head out his ass and tell her… now nothing could come out.

He was dying.

His lungs drowning in blood.

So perhaps she would never know after all. But it didn't matter, the company man had done his job and his time to checkout was long overdue.

"No. Tseng. Please… don't… don't stop chasing me."

Aerith was crying harder now, she had noticed him head towards the exit.

_He had always been the one to dry her tears, never to cause them._

And that would be his final act.

Sheer willpower alone granted him the impossible act to get his hand off the floor, place it to Aerith's cheek and wipe away the flow.

She understood.

Understood that the last thing he ever wanted to see on her face were tears. Aerith nestled her face to his hand and shone that bright smile. He could see everything, perhaps it was his life flashing before him? The child tugging on his sleeve, the teenager eager to experience the world, every Aerith through every age in that one smile.

"I love you Tseng."

His fellow Turks were calling him to the door, his big family of misfits who had completed their missions, but he made them wait a little while longer as Aerith leaned in and placed a soft kiss to his lips.

_You gonna keep an old partner waiting?_

_Come on boss man!_

_Told ya' he weren't such a stiff._

_Good job kid._

"It's ok, you can rest now. Go to them and I'll see you again someday" Aerith hushed gently.

Taking in the strong and gentle brunette one final time, Tseng straightened his jacket and turned for the door. She was going to be alright, his flower girl could take care of herself now.

No regrets. No regrets at all.


End file.
